Serbia’s opposition to boycott vote held during pandemic

BELGRADE, Serbia (AP) — A Serbian opposition leader whose group is boycotting the country’s parliamentary election on Sunday says taking part in the vote amid the coronaviorus pandemic and without free media would only legitimize what he called a “hoax vote.” Dragan Djilas, the leader of the pro-boycott Union for Serbia coalition, says the vote is being held despite health risks and a lack of democratic standards for the campaign. Most of the main opposition parties will boycott the vote because of what they say is Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic’s iron grip on the country’s media and the electoral process, as well as potential coronavirus infection hazards at voting stations. Vucic and his allies have denounced the boycott.