Serbian Speaker on Law on Single Electoral Register

Serbian Parliament speaker Ana Brnabic (BETAPHOTO/MILAN OBRADOVIC)

Serbian Speaker Ana Brnabic said on July 18 that amendments to the Law on the Single Electoral Register provided for establishing a permanent commission tasked with reviewing and revising the electoral register, adding that she hoped that the bill would be ready for review by MPs by September at the latest.

Speaking at the ninth public hearing on the amendments to the Law, Brnabic said the draft had been revised six times and was the result of a compromise between the ruling coalition, the opposition, and civil society organizations. According to her, the ten-member commission will have have the authority and full access to the electoral register and will be able to request additional information from all state institutions.

“Five members would be from the ruling majority, three from the opposition, and two from civil society. We aim for inclusiveness and participation, and will make sure there is no political outvoting. The commission will serve a five-year term,” Brnabic said. She described the draft as very good and noted that it had taken 18 months to prepare. If adopted, it would contribute to greater transparency in the electoral process, the speaker said.

When asked when the law might reach the agenda of the Parliament, Brnabic said she would like that to happen by the end of July, but was unsure if this was feasible. “If we don’t manage by the end of July, MPs will be on vacation during August, so I hope we will discuss it in September at the latest,” she said.