The announcement of a change in the “census” - proof that it was possible to open a debate on all issues of electoral reform

Transparency Serbia assessed that the announcement of a change in the electoral threshold only four months before the elections, which undoubtedly comes from the government, clearly shows that “respect for democratic principles” was just an excuse not to resolve many essential issues.

Among other things, it was avoided to discuss changes to the rules for determining the amount and manner of distribution of budget funds for election campaign financing, prosecution of criminal acts related to voter bribery and illegal funding of parties, as well as the introduction of restrictions on state activities during the election campaign to prevent abuse.

Transparency Serbia reminds that the representatives of the authorities in the previous months refused to discuss the improvement of all regulations important for the elections, allegedly not wanting to violate the unwritten rule according to which the election conditions do not change in the election year.

Months of talks on election conditions have resulted in minimal changes to four laws. These changes are insufficient to improve the electoral environment significantly, do not solve the problems previously identified by state authorities in Serbia (e.g. in the 2013 anti-corruption strategy), and do not meet the recommendations Serbia received from the OSCE / ODIHR after previous elections.^[1]

The government working group, followed by the line ministries, proposed amendments to only a few articles of the Law on the Anti-Corruption Agency and the Law on Financing Political Activities, leaving no possibility for public debate to be held on other issues where there were also necessary to supplement, amend or specify the norms.

The possibility of amending the Law on the Election of Members of Parliament was not open at all, although it was also necessary - e.g. regarding the composition and competencies of the recently elected Supervisory Board.

Although the reduction of the electoral threshold does not have to have any harmful consequences, the launch of that topic has. Thus, the public will deal with this attractive topic and its implications for weeks – although the level of the electoral threshold has not been raised as an important problem of Serbian democracy for the last 20 years – instead of paying full attention to solving essential issues recognised by the national public and relevant international organisations, such as the uneven media coverage of electoral lists, the conduct of a “functionary campaign” and insufficient transparency and control of funding.

^[1] http://transparentnost.org.rs/images/dokumenti_uz_vesti/TS_dopis_za_poslanike_i_predlog_amandmana_-_%C4%8Detiri_antikorupcijska_i_izborna_zakona.pdf