16.47 – Turnout by 16:00 31,2 percent

A total of 31,2 percent of citizens voted in elections for the Belgrade City Assembly by 16:00 (margin of error 0,3 percent). In comparison, voter turnout by 16:00 in Belgrade elections in December was 41,4 percent (margin of error 0,1 percent). 

14.33 – Breaching of the secrecy of voting at 11 percent of polling stations

At eight percent of polling stations, UV lamps and invisible spray were used inconsistently. Breaching of the secrecy of voting by photographing ballots behind the voting booths was recorded at 11 percent of polling stations. Cases where voters were restricted to vote, as they were not found in the Voter Registry, were recorded at seven percent of polling stations. Breaches of secrecy of voting were recorded at two percent of polling stations.

14.32 – Unauthorized presence of third persons and parallel records of voters

As election day progresses, the number of polling stations where the unauthorized presence of third persons was observed, without the reaction of polling boards, grows - there are currently two percent of such polls. Also, the percentage of polling stations where polling board members keep parallel records of voters who voted, outside the official records, increased from two to four percent. In addition, parallel records of voters were observed in the vicinity of several polling stations as well.

Do We Have a Choice Without Culture and Education?

- / 26.10.2024.

If we choose education and culture, we’ll be able to choose everything else too – this was the message of the panel titled “Imagine there’s no…” Literary historian, anthropologist, classicist and writer Svetlana Slapšak, board member of the Center for the Defense of Human Rights “Memorial” Aleksandar Cherkasov and CRTA’s Creative Director Radovan Kupres discussed…

From a Diplomatic Perspective on Elections: European Values, Professional Media and Implementing Recommendations Without Wasting Time

- / 24.10.2024.

There are clear international standards for assessing and improving the electoral process, and key recommendations need to be implemented as quickly as possible, particularly in the period between elections. The topic of EU integration was not particularly visible during the elections in Serbia, previous ODIHR recommendations were not applied while, at the same time, the…

Clientelism is a Trap for Both Citizens and Democracy

- / 24.10.2024.

The exchange of services for votes knows no boundaries. Not those of states, nor of laws. At the panel “Political Web Hosting: Mechanisms and consequences of political clientelism in the Western Balkans and Beyond”, participants highlighted that the consequences of clientelist practices are borne by both citizens and institutions. “Clientelism persists because it is more…

Migrations and Other Manipulations: A Cross-border Problem

- / 23.10.2024.

How can we prevent those who attempt to stop voters from clearly expressing their will? How can we track down all election manipulations, expose them, and clear the path for citizens to the ballot box? At the panel “Migrations and Other Manipulations: How to Prevent Electoral Engineering?” participants agreed that the problem is significant, but…

A well-informed voter is not a mythical creature with quality journalism

- / 23.10.2024.

Traditional media still set the agenda, especially in this part of Europe, but their audience is aging, and new actors are taking over that role. Social media and big tech companies have been complicating the fight for democracy for years, without any regulation. Communication and interaction with the audience, as well as concrete measures to…

Crta konferencija - panelisti

How to Recognize Electoral Authoritarianism?

- / 23.10.2024.

“Either we have an authoritarian regime, or a democracy – there is no such thing as a hybrid regime. There is no compromise between repression and freedom”, was a key statement heard on the panel “How to Recognize Electoral Authoritarianism”. Francesco Ronchi, visiting professor at Columbia University and a representative of the Directorate for Democracy…

Aleksandar Čerkasov

Keynote speaker – Alexander Cherkasov

- / 23.10.2024.

“The main method of Russian political election technology is war”, said Aleksandar Cherkasov from the Human Rights Defense Center Memorial. As a prominent peace activist and human rights advocate, he explained the mechanism of violence that, according to him, has been passed down for decades, resulting in today’s war in Ukraine. But it wasn’t just…

crta konferencija panelisti

The election super year is marked by more fear than hope

- / 23.10.2024.

The election super year is marked by more fear than hope – due to the rise of the right, the strengthening of autocracies and political elites who, lacking solutions to crises and conflicts, are putting the rule of law on the back burner. A Donald Trump victory would push the issue of democracy out of…

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