Serbian opposition leader: upcoming vote far from democratic

By DUSAN STOJANOVIC
Associated Press

BELGRADE, Serbia (AP) — One of Serbia’s main opposition leaders says the European Union has failed to negotiate free and fair voting in the presidential, parliamentary and municipal elections set to be held concurrently on Sunday. Dragan Djilas is a prominent party leader in the broad coalition challenging Serbia’s increasingly autocratic President Aleksandar Vucic, a former ultranationalist who now says he’s pro-EU membership and is looking to extend his 10-year rule. Vucic, who hopes to secure victory in the presidential vote from the first round on Sunday, has profited from his almost full domination of the mainstream media that allocated minimal time to the opposition and their programs ahead of the vote, Djilas told The Associated Press Wednesday.