A Fiery Letter of Protest

Serbs Reject Schieder as Election Observer

Serbian Protest Against Andreas Schieder(Bild: AFP/ALEX HALADA)

A major scandal has erupted in the run-up to Sunday’s parliamentary election in Serbia: The leadership in Belgrade is fuming and up in arms against Austrian MEP Andreas Schieder (SPÖ)! He is set to lead the highly contentious election observation mission—but the Serbs accuse him of blatant bias, prejudgment, and deliberate agitation.

Serbia and the EU have not exactly been the best of friends for several years now. But this rift has now reached a new peak. In a fiery letter of protest—which the “Krone” has obtained—from Interim President Ana Brnabić (who succeeded Aleksandar Vučić after his resignation), Serbia’s government is up in arms. The accusation: The EU is not sending neutral observers to Belgrade, but rather a political strike force to influence the outcome in favor of the opposition.

At the top of Belgrade’s list: Andreas Schieder. The Viennese SPÖ politician is said to have already committed massive violations of the code of conduct during the December 2023 elections. According to the Serbs, Schieder did not record a single irregularity in the official polling station logs on election day—only to publicly rail against “phantom voters” and alleged vote-buying shortly thereafter.

Tensions with Brussels: Serbian President Ana Brnabic (left), pictured here with Commission President Ursula von der Leyen(Bild: AFPAPA/AFP/POOL/Stephanie LECOCQ)

Serbian officials describe the fact that Schieder, of all people, has now been promoted to head of the delegation as an outright provocation and a serious violation of international rules of neutrality. They argue that anyone who has already passed judgment in advance cannot possibly observe the situation neutrally. The attack is accompanied by accusations against other EU officials (such as Helmut Brandstätter), who have also publicly taken a stand against the Vučić regime.

Long-standing feud between Schieder and Serbia
The dispute marks the latest escalation in a conflict that has been smoldering for years. In addition to the Serbian complaints following the 2023 election, Schieder has not held back on sharp criticism: as recently as the summer of 2026, the SPÖ MEP publicly gave the country a political grade of “Inadequate” as part of the EU enlargement report. Schieder criticized a “downward spiral of autocracy” under then-President Vučić, called for a freeze on EU funds, and urged active support for the Serbian opposition. For the leadership in Belgrade, this is the ultimate proof that Schieder is completely unsuitable as an impartial evaluator.

Schieder counters: “A direct attack on the European Parliament”
Andreas Schieder himself does not leave the sharp attacks from Belgrade unanswered and has clear words regarding the protest letter: “The letter is a direct attack on the European Parliament and its election observation mission. It should be viewed as an attempt to intimidate independent election observers who operate in accordance with international standards. However, we will not be intimidated by this and will continue to stand up for the principles of democracy.”

Serbian students have been protesting against the government for months(Bild: AP/Marko Drobnjakovic)

The early parliamentary election this coming Sunday is the result of months of mass protests and massive political pressure in the country. Following sustained demonstrations, President Aleksandar Vučić dissolved parliament and resigned from office. Brnabić succeeded him. Now he is running for office again, while for the first time a protest movement heavily influenced by students is running on its own ticket against the establishment.

Support from the ÖVP
However, the attacks from Belgrade are met with nothing but unanimous opposition from Brussels and Vienna. Austrian MEP Lukas Mandl (ÖVP), who is responsible for democracy support in the Western Balkans in the European Parliament, fires back sharply: “The audacity of the Vučić regime knows no bounds! The people of Serbia deserve better.”

Mandl stands firmly behind his compatriot Schieder: “Andreas Schieder is an ideal choice to lead the mission. He has already proven in the past that he conducts election observations fairly and transparently. We won’t let anyone be pushed out!” The fact that Serbia is now trying to handpick its own monitors is completely unacceptable for an EU candidate country. The regime must not continue to hold the country and its people hostage to corruption, according to the unequivocal message from Brussels.