Serbian voters turn out in force at Nicosia embassy

Serbian citizens turned out in large numbers at their country’s embassy in Nicosia on Sunday to vote in the parliamentary election, with one voter describing the level of participation as unlike anything he had witnessed in previous years. Speaking to the Cyprus Mail on the condition of anonymity, a member of the Serbian community in Cyprus said that approximately 100 people were waiting to cast their ballots when he arrived at the embassy with his family. Having voted in previous Serbian elections, he said he was surprised by the number of people who had turned out, particularly those who had previously shown little interest in politics. He described the election as both “historic” and “important”, noting that “even members of the diaspora who would generally be considered apolitical had made the effort to vote”. Despite the large number of people waiting, he said the “atmosphere outside the embassy was relaxed and even jovial, with voters showing consideration for one another”. Elderly voters and families with young children were allowed to move ahead in the queue to cast their ballots more quickly, he said. He also praised the professionalism of embassy staff, adding that there had been no tensions or disturbances during his visit. His account comes amid a sharp increase in the number of Serbian citizens registered to vote in Cyprus. Tourists cast their vote According to figures provided by an informal group of Serbian community members, 523 people were registered to vote in Nicosia for Sunday’s election, compared with 134 in December 2023, representing an increase of around 290 per cent. The voter also noted that, unlike in previous elections, a considerable number of those registered to vote in Cyprus were tourists rather than permanent residents. Another difference, he said, was the embassy’s relatively limited effort to encourage participation. According to the voter, in previous elections, the embassy had actively contacted Serbian citizens through telephone calls and notifications to encourage them to register and vote. This time, however, he said the embassy had largely confined its public communication to an announcement on its website outlining the voting arrangements. He suggested that previous efforts to encourage participation may have been partly motivated by the “prestige” associated with hosting an overseas polling station. The embassy’s official announcement, published on October 12, confirmed that voting would take place at its premises on Vasilissa Olga Street in Nicosia, with polls remaining open from 8am until 9pm Cyprus time. Sunday’s election follows almost two years of political unrest in Serbia, sparked by the collapse of a canopy at the Novi Sad railway station in November 2024, which killed 16 people and triggered widespread student-led protests demanding accountability and institutional transparency. Ahead of the election, members of the Serbian community in Cyprus had expressed concerns about potential electoral irregularities, calling on the embassy to safeguard ballot secrecy and ensure that all registered voters could cast their ballots without interference. However, the voter who spoke to the Cyprus Mail reported no such difficulties during his visit, describing the voting process as orderly and peaceful.