CRTA Reports Registration of Bosnian Serbs to Vote in Serbia

CRTA, Serbia’s democracy watchdog, has released an audio recording it says reveals an organized effort in Bosnia-Herzegovina to register Serbian citizens for the parliamentary elections in Serbia.

The recording features a woman identified by her first name. She says she has been scanning Serbian identity cards in the Bosnian city of Višegrad for a month or more. She is also heard asking someone whether they want to register to vote in Serbia. CRTA says the woman claimed to have scanned more than 1,000 identity cards.

Serbian citizens living in Bosnia-Herzegovina have the right to vote, but they must personally register if they want to vote abroad. CRTA said the apparent registration activity began before the elections had even been called.

N1 said it had not independently verified the claims. Serbian opposition parties and democracy watchdog organizations have reported in recent years that voters were bused from Bosnia-Herzegovina to elections in Serbia. Under Serbian law, adult citizens with permanent residence in Serbia can vote in elections, including at consulates and embassies, provided they register to vote there.