15 April 2016

PRESS RELEASE

Non-existent organisation signing its name as Republic of Serbia Monitoring and Research Centre and using the Republic of Serbia coat of arms without proper authorisation, has alarmed a number of citizens by sending them written notices that misdemeanour charges will be brought against them if they do not vote in the elections on 24 April 2016.

The Republic Electoral Commission denounces this kind of behaviour and points out that the Constitution of the Republic of Serbia stipulates that elections are free. That means that each voter can choose whether they will turn out for the vote, and if they do, it is up to them whether they will vote for an electoral list or submit an invalid ballot. Noone can force the citizens to vote, nor hold them accountable if they do not.

In view of the abovementioned, the Republic Electoral Commission would like to point to Article 106 of the Law on the Election of MPs which stipulates that any person who contacts a voter after an election and asks them how they voted or why they did not vote is to be held criminally responsible. Also, Article 155 of the Criminal Code prohibits the use of coercion to force people to vote.

Belgrade, 15 April 2016

REPUBLIC ELECTORAL COMMISSION

6 April 2016

PRESS RELEASE

of the Republic Electoral Commission
relating to the manner of exercising voting rights in the election of members of the National Assembly on 24 April 2016

Dear Citizens,

We would like to remind you that on Sunday, 24 April, all persons on the electoral roll are eligible to vote in the elections for members of the National Assembly.

The voting will take place from 7 a.m. to 8 p.m.

A voter may vote only if they bring to the polling station a valid ID, passport or driver’s license containing the citizen’s personal identification number.

All the citizens should receive a written notification bearing the address of the polling station where they should take the vote, but are not obliged to bring said notification to the polling station.

N.B. Voters unable to come to the polling station still can vote if they inform the polling board of it by 11 a.m. on the day of the elections. Voters with disabilities may come to the polling station with the help of a guide dog, and instead of signing by hand use a stamp bearing their signature/personal information.

10 March 2016

PRESS RELEASE

Regarding the information of the Ministry of Public Administration and Local Self-Government on the current number of voters on the electoral roll, at the session held on 10 March, the Republic Electoral Commission pointed out that the number does not correspond to the number of eligible voters.

Namely, since the 1999 NATO aggression, on the territory of the Autonomous Province of Kosovo-Metohija elections have not been conducted in municipalities that lack adequate security (e.g. Djakovica, Kacanik, Glogovac, Decane, Stimlje, Suva Reka, etc.), due to which the voters from these municipalities are not included in the total number of voters, as stipulated by the instructions of the Republic Electoral Commission both for the 2014 elections and the elections scheduled for 24 April 2016, meaning that the number of voters in the coming elections will not significantly differ from the numbers in 2014.

Compliant to the Instructions for the conduction of the elections called for 24 April 2016, the total number of voters shall be published by the Republic Electoral Commission by 10 April 2016 at the latest.