CRTA filed criminal charges due to violations of election integrity in Zaječar and Kosjerić

Crta observation mission has filed a total of 11 criminal charges with the Basic and Higher Public Prosecutor’s Offices, and the Anti-Corruption Department. These charges are against presidents and members of polling committees, as well as some observers, due to reasonable suspicion that they jeopardized the integrity of the electoral process at several polling stations in Zaječar and Kosjerić during the local elections held on June 8. The charges include criminal offenses of abuse of official position, undue influence on the work of polling committees, violation of voting rights, and falsification of election results.

Crta’s observation mission previously assessed that the election day in Kosjerić was neither free nor fair, while in Zaječar, the results do not reflect the will of the citizens because severe irregularities were recorded at as many as 19% of polling stations.

Since observers do not have the right to file objections with election commissions, Crta filed nine criminal charges for violations of election integrity at polling stations in Zaječar, and two were filed for Kosjerić.

Crta filed a criminal complaint with the Basic Public Prosecutor’s Office in Zaječar against the president and members of the polling committee at one polling station. This is due to reasonable suspicion that they, individually or in agreement, committed the criminal offense of falsifying voting results. 

At this polling station, it was noted that a voter who was not registered on the voter list was allowed to vote. Additionally, the polling committee did not record a discrepancy between the number of ballots and signatures in the excerpt from the voter list, leading to reasonable suspicion of an unlawful alteration of records in the excerpt from the unified voter list.

Crta also filed four criminal charges with the Higher Public Prosecutor’s Office in Niš – Anti-corruption Department – for abuse of official position against the presidents of polling committees at four other polling stations in Zaječar. It is suspected that they enabled unlawful actions, thereby contributing to the disruption of the legality of the electoral process.

Furthermore, due to undue influence on the work of polling committees and obstruction of the voting process at the aforementioned polling stations, Crta filed four criminal charges with the Basic Public Prosecutor’s Office in Zaječar. These charges are against two representatives of the organization “Center for European Values,” one from the “Institute for European Freedoms,” and unidentified persons. It is suspected that they committed the criminal offense of violating voting rights, as their behavior directly undermined the integrity of the electoral process.

Crta filed two criminal charges for incidents at one polling station in Kosjerić. These charges were brought against the president and members of the polling committee, based on reasonable suspicion that they committed violations of voting rights and abuse of official position. It is suspected that the polling committee, or one of its members, unlawfully prevented one voter from exercising their right to vote, while another voter, who was not registered on the voter list, was allowed to cast a vote, thereby breaking the law.

You can find all criminal charges filed by Crta here.