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We urge politicians, both in power and in opposition, and especially the President of the Republic Aleksandar Vučić and other public officials to refrain from actions during the state of emergency and the entire nation’s fight against the epidemic, which in many ways leave the impression that they are still in the election campaign. We expect the President to exhibit statesmanship, and discharge duties vested in him by the Constitution, and not to give the public a reason to conclude that the dramatic situation in society is being used to reap political benefits.

CRTA’s election observation mission withdraws all of its 120 long-term observers from the field across Serbia due to the graveness of the situation with coronavirus. Puting the citizens’ safety as the key priority within these recent circumstances, we believe this to be the only appropriate and responsible decision. 

CRTA’s election observation mission has started the long-term observation of the pre-election period in Serbia in accordance with international standards for an independent election monitoring by citizen organizations. A team of 120 long-term observers has been monitoring key segments of the campaign for election of Members of the Parliament three weeks before the elections were…

CRTA’s election observation mission finalized the recruitment and training of more than 1.700 observers who will be deployed at the random representative sample of 500 polling stations on the Election Day on June 21. Observation of the election process at this sample will enable CRTA to report on election developments, as well as compliance with the law and electoral procedures at all polling stations in Serbia.

The claims that Olivera Zekić, the REM Council member made in the interview for the daily Večernje novosti, saying that television with national frequency ”do not have the obligation to provide space for the boycott advocates” are confusing for the public and can be interpreted as inadmissible interference with media editorial policy, as well as threatening the interest of the public to be informed as comprehensively as possible about the election process.

The electoral atmosphere in the municipalities of Lučani, Kula, Kladovo and Doljevac, where local elections shall be held on Sunday, are characterised primarily by public officials’ campaigning. In all four municipalities, an intense presence of public officials was noted – from ministers to directors of services and public companies – accompanied by the abuse of public resources. These are the main findings of the CRTA observation mission whose observers monitor the election campaign on the spot.

On the basis of a Draft Rulebook for carrying out the obligations by public service broadcasters, that the Regulatory Authority of Electronic Media  (REM) adopted on January 20th, CRTA regrets that the REM clearly has no intention to exercise its legal role and to protect the public interest in the electoral process. The adopted Rulebook did not include any of the essential suggestions made by the participants in the public debate that took place by the end of last year.

Towards supporting the growth both within individual teams and the organization as a whole, CRTA invites an expert consultancy for further strengthening of middle management skills and competencies, including concrete skills such as decision making, facilitation and meeting management, offering feedback, managing relationships through training and coaching.

“We are worried that the upcoming elections could deepen the crisis of democracy in Serbia. We fear that the number of citizens who do not see elections as a path of political change will increase and that even greater conflicts could threaten political stability in Serbia and the region”, has said today in Paris Vukosava Crnjanski, director at CRTA, while addressing the Monitoring Council of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe.