More than 70 Serbian citizens living in Thessaloniki traveled to Athens early Sunday, October 25, wearing pajamas and sleep masks in a symbolic protest against voting arrangements affecting Serbia’s diaspora during the country’s parliamentary elections.
The group departed by bus around 5:30 a.m., carrying Serbian and Greek flags, after the Serbian authorities decided not to operate a polling station at the country’s consulate in Thessaloniki.
The decision forced voters to travel approximately 500 kilometers to Athens to cast their ballots, despite the presence of a Serbian community numbering approximately 2,000 people in Thessaloniki.
The participants’ clothing was intended to highlight the difficulties facing Serbian voters abroad, particularly those in North America, where new voting arrangements require some citizens to visit polling stations during overnight hours.
Overseas Voting Arrangements Draw Criticism
Serbia’s election authorities have established 93 polling stations across 37 countries for Sunday’s parliamentary vote, according to international media reports. However, voting schedules tied to Serbian local time have created difficulties for expatriates in distant time zones.
In Chicago, voting hours were scheduled to begin at 1 a.m., while some Serbian citizens in Canada faced journeys of thousands of kilometers to reach designated polling stations. The arrangements have drawn criticism from opposition supporters, who argue that they could discourage participation among Serbians living abroad.
In Thessaloniki, the closure of the local polling station was reportedly attributed to insufficient funding, despite its operation during previous elections.
Some participants in Sunday’s journey wore badges displaying the number three, corresponding to the ballot position of the Students’ List, the political movement that emerged from nationwide demonstrations following the November 2024 railway station canopy collapse in Novi Sad.
Parliamentary Election Follows Prolonged Political Unrest
Sunday’s parliamentary election follows nearly two years of anti-government demonstrations in Serbia, initially triggered by the Novi Sad disaster, which killed 16 people.
The protests subsequently expanded into a broader movement demanding accountability, stronger democratic institutions and action against corruption. The student-led political movement is contesting the election against the Serbian Progressive Party, associated with Aleksandar Vučić, who resigned from the presidency and is seeking to return to government as prime minister.
International media have reported a closely contested campaign, with opinion polls showing substantial support for both the governing party and the student-backed opposition.
Approximately 6.45 million Serbian citizens are eligible to vote for the country’s 250-member parliament, with 18 electoral lists participating. International election observers are monitoring the process, including complaints concerning voting procedures and access to polling stations.
Preliminary findings from international monitoring missions are expected Monday, October 26, while the official election results will determine the composition of Serbia’s next parliament.
See all the latest news from Greece and the world at Greekreporter.com. Contact our newsroom to report an update or send your story, photos and videos. Follow GR on Google News and subscribe here to our daily email!
