By adopting amendments to the Law on Prevention of Corruption, the Anti-Corruption Agency Act and the Law on Financing Political Activities, the National Assembly missed the opportunity to contribute to a more efficient prevention of public officials’ campaigning.
This Draft on the Rulebook on Obligations of Media Service Providers during Election Campaigns establishes detailed rules for carrying out the obligations set forth in articles 47 to 59 of the Law on Electronic Media (article 60 of the Law on Electronic Media).
Having decided not to accept a series of constructive recommendations which were in line with international standards, the REM has essentially opted to continue avoiding fulfilling of its legally defined role and protecting the public interest in the electoral process.
Having decided not to accept the amendment to the Bill on amendments to the Anti-Corruption Agency Act submitted by the National Assembly deputies upon the CRTA’s initiative, the Government of the Republic of Serbia showed that it was not interested in substantially improving the electoral conditions.
Truth-o-Meter, the first fact-checking portal in the region celebrated its tenth anniversary promising to defend the truth even more fiercely and more devotedly and not to give up the fight against lies. The anniversary celebration was marked by the creation of a new portal which will make it even easier for users to search for articles, interviews and rated statements.
Let’s not lie to one another, we were left with no choice. We intended to select the greatest untruths of the decade with the help of our readers on the occasion of the Truth-o-Meter’s, tenth anniversary.The day before the closing of the vote, i.e. yesterday, we suffered hacker attack. In no time, 10.000 votes we gathered in a week turned into 350.000 “votes”.
CRTA has developed proposals for amendments to the Bill of the Law on Modifications and Supplement to the Anti-Corruption Agency Act. The Bill, proposed by the Government, has entered the legislative procedure of the Serbian Parliament on November 14th, 2019 as result of the round-table discussions between the government and the opposition parties on the electoral conditions in Serbia, currently being facilitated by the European Parliament. The start of the plenary session where the MPs will debate and decide upon this Bill is scheduled for December 9th, 2019. Proposals for amendments that, among other issues, aim to offer a more comprehensive and substantial legislative solution for the phenomenon of public officials campaigning, that is also in line with the OSCE/ODIHR 2017 priority recommendation no. 2, have been submitted to all Serbian MPs.
In order to substantially improve the election conditions, and above all, to disable the public officials’ campaign, the CRTA legal team made a set of amendments to the Bill on amendments to the Anti-Corruption Agency Act and the Law on Prevention of Corruption that have just entered the parliamentary procedure.
On behalf of the CRTA initiative Open Parliament, we positively evaluate the fact that the draft Budget Law was submitted to Parliament within the legally prescribed deadline, and that reasonable time for discussion in plenary was provided in accordance with the procedures foreseen by the law and the Rules of Procedure of the National Assembly.
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Democratic culture
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Free and fair elections
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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.
