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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
euro-integration 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
The Regional Women’s Lobby for Peace,
Security and Justice in South –East Europe (RWL SEE) was established
in 2006 with facilitation from UNIFEM, now UN Women. The Lobby
promotes advocacy and political action to advance peace and
stability in the region, including full implementation of UN
Security Council resolution 1325 on women, peace and security, which
calls for increased representation of women at all decision-making
levels. The group includes members of Albania, Bosnia and
Herzegovina, Croatia, Kosovo, Macedonia, Montenegro and Serbia. Its
members are prominent women leaders, including politicians, members
of parliaments, holders of governmental or public positions, as well
as representatives of civil society.
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