The electoral atmosphere in the municipalities of Lu\u010dani, Kula, Kladovo and Doljevac, where local elections shall be held on Sunday, are characterised primarily by public officials\u2019 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.<\/p>\n
\u201cAlthough these are local elections, the campaign has in these four municipalities taken on characteristics of national elections. In the last month, ministers and public officials visited more than 20 times all four municipalities. More than one half of visits was recorded in Lu\u010dani\u201d,\u00a0<\/em>stated Ra\u0161a Nedeljkov, the head of the CRTA observation mission.<\/p>\n The campaign is running without concrete programmes or messages from electoral actors. Ruling parties\u2019 lists rely on public authorities\u2019 results achieved in the previous period, thereat blurring the line between the institutions and the party. The opposition block in Lu\u010dani relies on the negative campaign against the Serbian Progressive Party and their coalition partners.<\/p>\n The election campaign is marked by an atmosphere of threats and pressures on voters and electoral actors in all municipalities. Pressures and threats, however, are most pronounced in the municipality of Lu\u010dani. Two incidents have been recorded \u2013 burning of banners and an assault on a female activist of the Serbian Progressive Party, about which the public was informed through the Serbian Progressive Party announcement. The CRTA observation mission was unable to find other data about these incidents. The only source was this party\u2019s release.<\/p>\n