Roma Civic Movement walks away from election talks with the Union of Roma of Serbia

The Roma Civic Movement of Serbia announced it has abandoned negotiations with the Union of Roma of Serbia over a joint appearance in the parliamentary elections, Danas reports, citing the FoNet agency.

The talks aimed to unite the two organizations on a single electoral list, but the parties failed to reach an agreement. According to the announcement, differences between the parties proved insurmountable, causing the Roma Civic Movement to walk away from the negotiating table.

The snap parliamentary elections in Serbia are held on October 25, and the Roma community — one of the largest ethnic minorities in the country — is expected to compete with separate lists. The split of the Roma vote could affect this community’s representation in Serbia’s future Assembly.

The rift comes at a decisive moment of the campaign, when minority organizations are finalizing their lists for Serbia’s Assembly. Analysts estimate that competition between Roma lists will make the race for minority votes fiercer than ever.

Source: Danas (FoNet)