The Regional Women’s Lobby for Peace, Security and Justice in Southeast Europe (RWL SEE) calls for free, democratic and fair presidential elections in Serbia to be held on Sunday, 2 April 2017. The legitimate will of people expressed through free voting by citizens presents the core value of any democratic society and we believe will be tested in Serbia. 

RWLSEE expects that elections in Serbia will show support for pro-European candidates for president hence strengthening Serbia’s future towards the European Union and for the sake of strengthening peace and stability in the region. This is also an opportunity for Serbia to send a clear message of readiness to build a sustainable democracy, peace and stability as well as good neighbourly relations  in region and beyond as a way forward to better future. 

RWLSEE regrets that there are no women candidates in these presidential elections in Serbia and there were no even in the recent past. Therefore, RWL SEE encourages citizens of Serbia for more encouragement and support for women in order to increase their participation in politics and decision making, because there cannot be a genuine democracy without equal participation of women in all decision making levels. 

We express our concerns on the pre-election atmosphere which indicates that Serbia is still not able to strategically position itself and define realistic and achievable goals. The confusion in the political arena continuously increases. Additionally, media censorship of opposition candidates indicates that the conditions for free and fair elections are far from being met.

As members of the Regional Women’s Lobby for Peace, Security and Justice in South-East Europe, we are committed to help strengthen peace and stability in the region and eurointegration of all our member countries including Serbia. We are committed to support   the European future for Serbia and all the countries in the region of South-East Europe  

Members of the Regional Women’s Lobby for Peace, Security and Justice in the Southeast Europe (RWL SEE):

Albania: Marieta Zace, Eglantina Gjermeni, Majlinda Bregu

Bosnia and Herzegovina: Memnuna Zvizdić, Nada Tesanović, Meliha Alić, Ismeta Dervoz

Croatia: Grodana Sobol, Morana Paliković Gruden, Lovorka Marinović

Kosovo: Edita Tahiri, Teuta Sahatqija, Luljeta Vuniqi

Macedonia: Irina Pockova, Teuta Arifi, Savka Todorovska

Montenegro: Nada Drobnjak, Slavica Striković, Ljubomirka Mira Asović

Serbia: Sonja Biserko, Natasa Mičić, Liljana Radovanović, Stasa Zajović