The three finishing weeks of the election campaign were marked by additional relativisation of the division between state and party affairs and interests, as well as by heightened suspicions of misuse of public resources – as stated in the preliminary report of the CRTA observation mission for the period from May 24th to June 14th.
The election process and all election activities had been suspended for almost two months because of the
declaration of the state of emergency due to the COVID-19 virus pandemic. These are important factors influencing
the elections in Serbia in 2020. The pause and the state of emergency were reflected in the dynamics of the election
campaign, conditioned by the ongoing measures of social distancing and further monitoring of the coronavirus
epidemic in the country. Apart from the dynamics in the way that political actors communicate with voters, the ban
on public gatherings and examples of testing virtual rallies in this reporting period, the feasibility of collecting and
verifying the signatures of those candidates who did not submit their lists before the break in the election process
was also a challenge.
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 election process and all election activities had been suspended for almost two months because of the declaration of the state of emergency due to the COVID-19 virus pandemic. These are important factors influencing the elections in Serbia in 2020. The pause and the state of emergency were reflected in the dynamics of the election…
As domestic observation mission observing the elections by the highest international standards, CRTA will monitor and assess the quality of the election process on the election day, June 21, 2020. CRTA’s observes will be deployed at the random and representative sample of 500 polling stations across the country. In addition, CRTA’s mobile teams will monitor developments outside of polling stations in all Serbia’s regions on the election day, as well as the work of the Republic Electoral Commission.
In this issue, the Parliamentary Insider brings assessment of the work of the Parliament in March and April 2020. The key highlights are the reduced activities of the MPs during Spring Session, proclamation of the state of emergency and convening of the first sitting during the state of emergency.
SUMMARY The last time the Regulatory Authority for Electronic Media (REM) has published its election media monitoring was 2014 parliamentary elections. Since then, domestic and international election observers have advocated that REM regains its institutional role in ensuring equal media representation without discrimination, required by the Law on Electronic Media. However, the first results of…
Stories of whistle-blowers spread the word about people who do their best and whose enthusiasm and dedication do not fade way, who are courageous enough to confront those on the other side of the law. This case study is about a whistle-blower who has proven that rising voice makes sense. Oliver Adžić, water bailiff from…
According to the latest annual report published by Transparency International, Serbia is down for four ranks in the Corruption Perception Index compared to the previous year. Serbia’s decline in rankings for such reports is not surprising since primary strategic documents are often “forgotten”, the laws are adopted in order to meet the international community requirements while in practice the laws are neither applied nor observed. The whistle-blowers who are playing an important role in reporting corruption are not protected, and often have to endure the pressure from the institutions. Insufficient control of financing political parties is also affected by the corruption, and political pressure continues to be noticeable at all institutional levels, starting from independent authorities such as Anti-
Corruption Agency work, all the way to the police and prosecution.
Our topics
Democratic culture
Because politics is not just for politicians. It is our human and citizen right to participate in the processes of making decisions which influence our lives. A dialogue has no alternative.
Free and fair elections
Because elections are the pillars of democracy. It is every citizen’s right to decide on whom to give his/her vote in free and fair conditions. Our vote is valuable and it can make a difference.
Open institutions
Because institutions serve the citizens. We need strong institutions with integrity which protect the public interest.
Free media
Because media should ask questions and critically analyse the reality. We need the media which protect the public interest and tackle the needs of the citizens.
