Brnabic, Telalian discuss establishment of working group on electoral conditions

BELGRADE - Serbian Parliament Speaker Ana Brnabic met with the Director of the Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights (ODIHR) Maria Telalian in Belgrade on Wednesday.

Brnabic highlighted that a working group tasked with improving the electoral conditions had been set up and that, in a first for the Serbian parliament, it was also comprised of, as well as presided over by, civil society organisations.

Brnabic expressed regret over a decision by some civil society representatives to leave the group, and noted that civil society organisations remained key partners in building a democratic society, an official statement said.

She said the meeting with Telalian was very important, especially in the context of intensive work on implementation of ODIHR recommendations, which she noted contributed to advancement of the electoral process and strengthening of democratic institutions.

Brnabic thanked Telalian and the entire ODIHR team for their continued support and expert contribution in the process, and confirmed her full personal commitment to continued dialogue and efforts to renew cooperation in the interest of all Serbian citizens.

Telalian thanked Brnabic for her personal engagement in encouraging political dialogue and noted that a democratic process required cooperation by all stakeholders - the government, the opposition and the civil sector.

She reiterated that the ODIHR remained a partner to Serbia, offering support not only in the field of electoral processes but also in strengthening of democratic institutions in the broader sense.