CRTA in 2023

“CRTA’s research showed that pressures on voters in Serbia happen almost daily, often as continuous activities over a long period, not just as isolated incidents before or on election day. The tendency to intensify pressures in the pre-election period is clearer, indicating that there are unwritten rules exposing many citizens to politically motivated pressures.”

The course of the election campaign was primarily monitored by two teams: the field team and the media monitoring team. The field team of long-term observers was deployed in 168 cities and municipalities in Serbia to monitor all activities of political actors in the pre-election campaign on the ground, the work of the election administration, and other election oversight institutions. The media monitoring team simultaneously monitored national television stations, providing insights into the presence of political pluralism in the media. The public was regularly informed about the campaign findings and the assessment of electoral conditions was presented on two occasions, during press conferences organized around the First LTO Report and Second LTO Report.

CRTA informed the public that the findings of its election observation mission indicated serious irregularities in parliamentary and Belgrade elections at a press conference on December 18, 2023. Citizens and relevant stakeholders were informed about significant abuses of the electoral process, voting rights, laws, and institutions that affected the quality of parliamentary elections, and the fact that the results of the Belgrade elections did not reflect the freely expressed will of the voters living in the capitol. This allowed the public to gain insight into the range of irregularities associated with the electoral process.

The public was alerted about practices that compromised the integrity of the electoral process with the aim of promoting transparency and urging relevant institutions to take further steps. A series of documented claims and findings regarding voter migration were presented as illegal and illegitimate actions, and it was assessed that this type of manipulation poses a serious challenge to the quality of elections in Serbia. CRTA provided recommendations for measures that could prevent this type of electoral manipulations.

In the form of a Masterclass in Electoral Law, CRTA organized a series of educational workshops for 15 graduate lawyers and law students from the Faculty of Law in preparation for the elections. Within these workshops, young lawyers had the opportunity to engage in four modules covering topics related to active and passive voting rights, voter registers, election administration, electoral systems, the Anti-Corruption Agency, the Regulatory Authority for Electronic Media, domestic and international election observation mission, and to become better acquainted with CRTA’s election observation methodology.

CRTA compiled several reports on the December 2023 elections and made a number of well-founded recommendations to adequately address different aspects of the electoral process, aimed at improving conditions for democratic and fair elections and increasing transparency in elections. These recommendations primarily concerned the transparency of the Voter Registry, the work of the Ministry of Public Administration and Local Self-Government, the Prosecutor’s Office, independent bodies, and political and media equality.

As part of the observer mission, CRTA submitted complaints and reports with state authorities, as well as other inspection services, aimed at contributing to the integrity of the electoral process and strengthening democratic principles. Totaling 83 complaints in 2023, CRTA submitted 51 complaints to the Anti-Corruption Agency, 27 complaints to the Regulatory Authority for Electronic Media, and five complaints to the Electoral Campaign Supervisory Board.

During the election campaign, CRTA issued several public appeals to government officials, reminding them of their legal obligations, and publicly called on the prosecutor’s office to respond to allegations of signature forgery for candidacy. CRTA’s election observation mission sent letters to around 1,600 addresses of managers in city and municipal administrations across Serbia to appeal to their personal and professional responsibility. These appeals aimed to contribute to the integrity of the entire electoral process, prevent abuse and political pressures, and strengthen trust in institutions.

Under the slogans “We want brave prosecutors”, a campaign was launched based on the understanding that a kind of myth about the hero prosecutor has been created in popular culture. In order to encourage individuals in the prosecution and raise awareness about the importance of an independent prosecutorial system, several videos featuring prosecutors and six authored texts were prepared. The campaign reached 1.6 million people via Facebook and Instagram, and the produced video materials achieved nearly one million views on all social media platforms.

With the aim of encouraging citizens to resist political pressures and show solidarity with those who are subjected to intimidation by political actors, a campaign against the normalization of political pressures was launched. Led by the experiences of Ranka Kašiković and Stefan Vukić, the campaign through video testimonies shows that it is possible to say “NO” and break free from the network of political pressures. In one month, the campaign reached nearly two million people through Facebook and Instagram, while the campaign’s video materials garnered over 1.4 million views on the same social media platforms.

Ahead of the elections, a campaign under the slogan “Observers are important players” was launched to inform citizens about the importance of joint citizen efforts in ensuring transparency and integrity of the electoral process. Through seven video clips, the unique profiles and roles of observers, who are an essential part of CRTA’s election observation mission, were highlighted. On Facebook, Instagram, and X (ex. Twitter), the campaign reached over three million people, and nearly 500 citizens signed up to observe the December 2023 elections through a special section on CRTA’s website.

Previous CRTA’s research and experiences have highlighted serious problems in the democratic process related to pressure on voters. In order to promote awareness of the importance of free voting, a campaign for voter turnout (“The pencil votes with heart”) was launched, emphasizing the importance of fighting for free elections and mutual solidarity. The campaign was seen by over 850 thousand citizens in traditional media, while it reached over a million people on all social media platforms.

On International Day of Democracy, September 15, the “Brave Voice” award was presented, which has been awarded by CRTA since 2018 to individuals and groups who courageously fight for the common good. This year’s award was given to the informal association “Students against violence”, local activists and organizers of the “Serbia against violence” protests in Petrovac na Mlavi, activist Dragana Arsić from the “Defend the forests of Fruška Gora” movement, Ranka Kašiković from Subotica and Stefan Vukić from Požarevac who publicly spoke out against political pressures they faced at work, prosecutors Bojana Savović, Jasmina Paunović and Predrag Milovanović, former REM Council member Judita Popović, and the Local Front from Kraljevo.

From February to June 2023, a series of “tea parties” on political pressures was organized, with over 200 citizens participating in 11 cities across Serbia. Earlier research by CRTA showed that pressures are part of everyday life, but that not enough is being said about this issue. In addition to informing about the main findings of the research, discussions were organized with the idea of ​​encouraging citizens to speak out on this topic and to inform them about the legal mechanisms available in cases of exposure to pressures.

Together with 19 organizations, CRTA launched the Network Against Violence platform. This network of civil society organizations, journalists and media against violence enabled citizens to be informed about the demands of the “Serbia Against Violence” protests, their fulfillment, and the cities and municipalities where protests were held across Serbia. The platform also contains resources such as detailed steps needed to fulfill media and security demands.

A public opinion survey, presented on the occasion of International Civil Society Organizations Day in February 2023, showed that citizens’ trust in the civil sector is growing, with nearly half of the respondents believing that these organizations protect the public interest. In addition, support for democratic governance has also increased, while in 2022 every fifth citizen participated in an action to address local community issues, most often focusing on communal (49%) and environmental issues (32%).

The research results showed that there is no clear idea among citizens of Serbia about the ideal solution to the Kosovo problem and the realistic outcome of the negotiations. While emotionally leaning towards Russia and financially towards the West, the perception of Serbia’s foreign policy relations and the Kosovo issue remains relatively unchanged, with Russia perceived as the most important political (34%) and security partner (42%), while the European Union is considered the most important economic partner (44%).

To track possible changes in citizens’ attitudes, a thematic survey conducted through focus groups, adapted to the series of “Serbia Against Violence” protests, organized after two mass tragedies in May 2023, was conducted in June 2023. The findings from the research showed that every other citizen supported the protests, and every third said they had already participated or wanted to participate in the protests. Among citizens who supported the protests, most were those not close to either ruling or opposition parties, and every fifth citizen closer to the ruling parties also supported the protests.

A survey conducted among participants of the 10th “Serbia Against Violence” protest in Belgrade on July 8, 2023, showed that almost half of the participants saw the success of the protests in changing the government in the next elections. The aim of the survey was to see if there had been a change in attitudes given the change in the structure of people participating and changing demands. More than half of the respondents cited arrogance and arbitrariness of the government as the main motive for participating in the protests, while the majority also supported the formation of an inquiry committee to determine the circumstances that led to the mass killings in “Ribnikar”, Dubona and Malo Orašje.

At the end of August 2023, a study consisting of two survey investigations was published: one of participants of the protest held on June 3, 2023 in Belgrade, and another of the public opinion of citizens of Serbia, conducted from June 10 to June 15, 2023, providing comprehensive insights into citizens’ attitudes. The findings indicated that protest participants were driven by emotions (about 60%) or a desire to support the protest against violence, and every fifth citizen felt it was important for the demands of the protests to be met. Public opinion research showed that protests were supported by citizens from all segments of society and parts of the country, with support for the protests not falling below 50% in any region of Serbia. Two focus groups were conducted to gain a clearer picture of citizens’ attitudes.

The research results showed that citizens recognize the negative effects of violence in society and highlight a reluctance of the state to effectively address this problem. Although economic issues are significant, citizens recognized the absence of social justice and corruption as forms of violence perpetrated by the state against citizens. A large number of citizens were concerned about various forms of physical and psychological violence, including structural violence that burdens Serbia.

The research showed that half of the citizens of Serbia (47%) believe that the country is heading in the wrong direction. The main problems cited by citizens during the survey were the economic situation, poor living standards, and rising prices, with the economy as a problem for 39% of respondents. Kosovo was also highlighted as an important issue, with 23% of citizens considering it the main problem.

Ahead of December 2023 elections and International Day for the Eradication of Poverty, CRTA organized a conference to present research on political pressures and clientelist networks in Social Welfare Centers. Previous research has shown that political pressures on citizens intensify during election periods, especially on public sector employees and the most vulnerable groups. The conference brought together representatives of institutions and civil society organizations, as well as members of the international community, to stimulate public dialogue on these issues and call for responsible work of social welfare institutions. Additionally, CRTA summarized the research through an audio podcast on social media platforms such as Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter, as well as on its YouTube channel, thereby encouraging broader discussion on this issue.

A team of media monitors, trained to the highest standards of media observation, conducted daily monitoring of media coverage. Two analyses were published on the representation of political actors in Serbia (“A Year without Balance in the Media”, “Political Pluralism June 2022 – May 2023”) and one analysis regarding the representation of foreign actors in Serbian media (“CRTA Media Monitoring: A Story Against the Western Side – Monitoring Foreign Influence, July 2022 – June 2023”). During this one-year period, over 29,962 media pieces and over 2,750 hours of television programs were reviewed. As part of disinformation monitoring, the team also conducted regional monitoring of the most influential regional media and participated in a door-to-door campaign that analyzed the effects of exposure to manipulative media content.

• The results of the media monitoring showed an absolute dominance of government representatives in central news programs (on average 95%), biased reporting, and encouragement of polarization among political actors. Another significant finding was that President Vučić addressed the nation live on television more than once daily during this period. Anti-Western rhetoric towards the EU, US, and NATO permeated public discourse in 2023, with a constant increase in Serbian media, while Russia was predominantly portrayed positively.

Based on the findings collected during media monitoring, 45 complaints were submitted to the Regulatory Authority for Electronic Media in 2023.

As complementary activities to daily media monitoring analyses, the media research team conducted a study on media habits, research on media relevance, and an experimental study (published within the “Media Analysis 2023 – Recognizing Relevance and Importance of Media”). Findings showed that television remains the primary source of information, especially for socio-political topics, with public broadcaster RTS enjoying the highest trust. The lack of media pluralism contributed to bias in reporting. Based on these findings, the study emphasizes the danger of information manipulation and underscores the need to enhance media literacy, critical thinking about media content, and the development of strategies to combat information manipulation in the Serbian media space.

In collaboration with colleagues from the Balkan Free Media Initiative (BFMI) CRTA provided the contribution to the report on defunding disinformation in the Balkans (CRTA BFMI Defunding Disinformation in the Balkans).

For the second consecutive year, over 300 media briefs were prepared, including daily summaries of leading television news and newspaper front pages, as well as potential information manipulation. Through condensed media reporting analyses shared via mailing lists, interested actors were promptly and efficiently informed about key events, political trends, and public debates in Serbia. These summaries contribute to a better understanding of political and social dynamics in Serbia.

Through support programs for local initiatives, CRTA has continued to empower citizens and encourage their active participation in public life, to help citizens engage in decision making processes and defend the public interest. The main goal of these activities is to inform, educate, and mobilize citizens to actively participate in decision making processes and advocate for societal changes.

In 2023, 20 initiatives addressing various topics of public importance were supported, including environmental protection, protection of cultural heritage, water management, abuses in the healthcare system, and others. These initiatives primarily received legal and expert assistance related to these topics.

A summary of the activities of initiatives working to strengthen democratic culture and enhance citizen participation is available through the “Citizens Have Power” section of the CRTA’s website, including the examples of initiatives such as “Moms are the Law”,” “Polekol: Right to Water”, and more.

Inspired by the participants’ experiences in the Democracy Academy educational program, CRTA organized the School of Parliamentarism for 25 young participants, including students, journalists, civil society and political activists. Through educational workshops, young people became familiar with the structure and functioning of the National Assembly of the Republic of Serbia, as well as the available parliamentary mechanisms for greater citizen participation in the work of the parliament.

The workshops aimed to inform participants about the importance of independent, transparent, and accountable work of the Parliament through theoretical and practical work with appropriate mentoring support.

As part of this activity, discussions with Members of Parliament and a visit to the institution were organized. The School of Parliamentarism in 2023 covered four thematic areas:

• Parliament as the Foundation of the Rule of Law,
• Assembly, Civil Society and Citizens: Power and Influence in Improving Citizens’ Lives,
• Transparency of the Parliament and the role of media,
• Simulation of the Work of the National Assembly.

Within the previous year, CRTA continued to build the internal capacities of its team in both program and financial and administrative areas.

In this regard, CRTA was engaged in an ongoing review and updating of its internal rules and procedures, and has improved capacities of its team members for internal and external communications, including better understanding of audiences and users of diverse platforms and tools. CRTA also continued with an independent research processes, through intensified implementation of public opinion and focus groups surveys, aimed at the assessment of attitudes and perceptions of both general population and different target groups regarding diverse aspects of democracy that are in the focus of CRTA’s operations, and focusing on areas emerging as crisis drivers in a society. 

As part of the organizational development, CRTA launched another round of the comprehensive internship program for youth interested to acquire knowledge and capacities in programmatic and financial areas of CRTA’s expertise, and equip young generations with tools and skills for the effective and efficient engagement in civil society. 

Considering that the previous period was marked by CRTA’s intensive engagement in election observation and advocacy, CRTA focused its capacities on further expansion and building of the network of activists and civil society organizations from different parts of Serbia. In this regard, along with provision of consultancy, funding, expert and mentorship support to local organizations, CRTA directly engaged with members of its widespread election observation network. CRTA also ensured the engagement of around 500 election observers through the crowdsourcing campaign. As a result of an ongoing communication and exchange, established quality relations and firm partnerships and trust, CRTA’s election observation network included more than 3,000 individuals, some of which have also been engaged not only in the election-related activities, but in other CRTA’s initiatives aimed at addressing democratic challenges outside the election process. 

This investment enabled CRTA to expend and strengthen network, build its resilience further, support longer-term sustainability, as well as to achieve higher accountability of the organization both internally and among the public and different stakeholders.

• British Embassy Belgrade
• Canada Embassy Belgrade
• Deuthsche Gesellschaft fur Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ) GmbH
• EU Delegation to the Republic of Serbia
• European Fact-Checking Standards Network
• European Endowment for Democracy
• France Embassy Belgrade
• Friedrich Naumman Stiftung
• German Embassy Belgrade
• Google
• Microsoft
• Ministry of Foreign and European Affairs of the Grand Duchy of Luxembourg
• National Endowment for Democracy
• Netherlands Embassy Belgrade
• Rockefeller Brothers Fund
• Swedish International Development Agency
• Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation
• United States Agency for International Development
• European Commission, Service for Foreign Policy Instruments, through the European Partnership for Democracy (Belgium)
• German Federal Foreign Office, through the Institute for Democracy “Societas Civilis” (North Macedonia)
• Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Czech Republic, through the Transitions (Czech Republic)
• National Endowment for Democracy, through the Gong (Croatia)
• United States Agency for International Development, through the Trag Foundation (Serbia)

Report in English is available here

Report in English for 2022. is available here