Announcement Of The Presidential Elections

President of the National Assembly of Serbia Ms. Natasa Micic called the elections for the president of Serbia for November 16th. A decision on calling the elections was pronounced on September 17th.

These are the sixth presidential elections in Serbia since the implementation of a multi-party system. The previous two presidential elections held in 2002 failed due to a low voters turnout.

In September 2002, in the first electoral round, none of the candidates managed to win required majority of votes and the second round was held in October. However, a number of voters who turned out at the poling stations was bellow the required 50 percent of voters registered in the voters register.

Re-run presidential elections held in December 2002 failed since the insufficient number of voters turned out at the polling stations already in the first round,

Meanwhile, between the two cycles of failed presidential elections held in September and December 2002, the National Assembly of Serbia adopted alteration of electoral legislation, also stipulating a requirement of minimum 50 percent voters turnout in the first electoral round, but abolishing such requirement in the second electoral round.

Pursuant to provisions of the Constitution, since February 2003 the Republic of Serbia has had the acting President of the Republic, the President of the National Assembly of Serbia Ms. Natasa Micic.

The Republican Electoral Commission (RIK) verified on October 27th 2003 six candidacies in presidential elections called for November 16th.

The presidential candidates are:

1. Radoslav Avlijas (1952), Democratic Party “Otadzbina”
2. Velimir Ilic (1951), “Nova Srbija”
3. Dragoljub Micunovic (1930), Democratic Opposition of Serbia (DOS)
4. Tomislav Nikolic (1952), Serbian Radical Party (SRS)
5. Marjan Risticevic (1958), National Farmers’ Party (NSS)
6. Dragan S. Tomic (1958), Socialist National Party (SNS).

The Republican Electoral Commission (RIK) determined on November 9th, for the upcoming presidential elections in Serbia, a total of 8,581 polling stations in 180 municipalities in the territory of the Republic of Serbia, including 248 polling stations in Kosovo and Metohija.

Voting right is held, pursuant to the law, by all Yugoslav citizens residing in the Republic of Serbia, above 18 years of age. The citizens can be registered in the voters register solely at one place, according to the place of residence. Persons currently temporarily residing abroad or doing compulsory army service are entered into the voters register according to the last known place of residence, whereas persons temporarily displaced form the place of residence (displaced persons) are entered according to the place where they have registered such status.

The polling stations organised for voting of army conscripts are determined by the Commission and announced in “The Official Gazette”, while the respective municipal voting boards will receive special excerpts from the voters register to enable voting of voters who will be doing the army service on the day of the elections.

In Kosovo and Metohija, the polling stations will be organised based upon proposal of the District Commissioner and will have to meet the requirements stipulated by the law, and ensure full security of the participants in the electoral process. Invalids, blind persons and other persons with special needs may bring to the polling station a person who will do the voting on their behalf.

The Commission determined a total number of 6,506,147 voters upon expiration of the term for completion of the voters register, while the final number of voters would be determined on November 13th, the date until the citizens may be entered into the voters register based upon decision of the competent court.

The voting on November 16th will be conducted in the same manner as in previous years, including the use of a UV lamp test against double voting and verification of voters registration in the voters register. After having the index finger of the right hand sprayed with the invisible spray, the voter will vote by circling on the ballot paper respective number indicated before the name of candidate of his/her choice and casting the ballot paper into the ballot box, made of transparent material in order to prevent possible irregularities and misuse.

A pre-elections silence shall commence at Thursday November 13th at midnight, until which time all six candidates will hold their final pre-elections conventions.

The polling station shall open on Sunday November 16th at 07:00 hours and close at 20:00 hours.

The elections will be monitored by domestic and international monitors, as well as by representatives of political parties, which nominated the presidential candidates.