NGO BIRODI: Vucic Is Campaigning for Parliamentary Elections which Haven’t Been Scheduled 

BIRODI

The Bureau for Social Research (BIRODI) on June 30 said that Serbian President Aleksandra Vucic’s address from the Presidency focusing on a new aid package for pensioners and citizens, represents an example of the use of public office for campaigning for “parliamentary elections which have not been scheduled yet.” 

In a statement, BIRODI said that its monitoring found that Vucic’s speech was broadcast by 21 TV stations, including the public broadcaster RTS, the Radio Television of Vojvodina RTV, Pink, Prva, TV Kurir, TV Informer, TV Blic, K1, TV Tanjug, Euronews Serbia, as well as several local television stations.

BIRODI also said that according to Article 112 of the Constitution of Serbia, it is not the responsibility of the President of the Republic to present social or economic policy measures, including those relating to one-off assistance to citizens, pension increases, subsidies for medications, and other budgetary measures, but that it is the job of the Serbian Government and relevant ministries.

“The authority of the President to represent the Republic of Serbia does not imply the right of the President to conduct economic or social policy, announce measures within the competence of the Government or to use the institution of the Presidency for political or election campaigns,” BIRODI said.

They added that in his address, Vucic acted in the capacity of “the political leader and a member of the ruling Serbian Progressive Party, and not as the president of all citizens of Serbia,” thereby calling his constitutional role into question.

BIRODI further said that Vucic’s address and the fast that it was aired on a large number of TV stations represent part of political and the campaign for parliamentary elections which have not been scheduled yet, thereby exploiting the incumbency advantages for political promotion and securing the upper hand in elections. 

This practice, according to BIRODI, is at odds with the recommendations of the OSCE Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights (ODIHR), which, the NGO said, have repeatedly demanded from Serbia to ensure a separation between party and state activities, prevent misuse of public resources and create a level playing field for all political actors.