Kotor MEC President Anka Perović told the MINA agency that there were no major irregularities during the election day.
The President of the Election Commission of the Capital City, Vladimir Filipović, told the MINA agency that no major irregularities were recorded during the election day.
The police administration announced that during the current weekend, "over 14.000 fewer passengers" entered Montenegro than during the previous weekend.
They said that due to this fact there is no room for the conclusion that today's local elections led to a greater number of travelers entering our country.
"From the list submitted to the Police Directorate, 54 entries and 67 exits of persons were registered in the last three days," that institution announced on Iks.
The President of the Election Commission of the Capital City, Vladimir Filipović, told TV Vijesti that there were a lot of technical irregularities at the beginning of the day, which were corrected and which could not significantly affect the regularity of the election.
When asked if they were informed that, as certain parties claim, hundreds of people are voting illegally, Filipović says that such things have not been reported to them and that it is the sole responsibility of the MUP, which provides them with the voter list.
The election day at the polling stations in Podgorica is proceeding peacefully so far, with an increased number of recorded technical irregularities and a lower number of violations of the voting procedure, the CDT announced.
"After the elections entered the last hours before the closing of the polling stations, it can be safely concluded that one of the evident problems is the insufficient preparation of the electoral process and the insufficient training of the electoral committees, which is why an increased number of technical failures were observed compared to previous election cycles." , that NGO states.
"Since the opening of the polling stations, accredited CDT observers, who are at all polling stations in Podgorica, have been reporting problems with delays in the opening of polling stations, the delivery of smaller amounts of election materials than prescribed, printing errors that led to the appearance of a certain number of ballots without a serial number and problems with the functioning and management of devices for electronic identification", they add.
They say that it is also a worrying phenomenon that not all members of the polling committees or their deputies were present during the voting in a large number of polling stations, which is not in accordance with the law.
"This further led to the fact that in those places the polling committees functioned with a reduced composition, that not enough deputy members were present, so voting by letter was performed by a smaller number of persons than prescribed, authorized representatives played the role of permanent members so that voting could be to implement, and in several polling stations we had periods when only two or three members of the permanent composition conducted the voting and the quality of the procedures, and it makes no sense to assume that more representatives of the government and the opposition means better control of the procedures at the polling stations," said the CDT.
They also state that during the election day, their observers noticed a smaller number of standard irregularities in a smaller number of places - loud pronunciation of voters' names, reporting by parties about the identity of the voters who voted, violation of the voting secrecy procedure, irregularities in the implementation of the voting procedure by letter, and the like.
"Since the election procedure is strictly formal, observed irregularities, although at first glance they may seem minor, can later be a reason for objections and contestation of the entire voting procedure in those places. So, for example, even the smallest differences in the number of ballots and control coupons or signed stubs from the electronic identification device, can be a formal reason for repeating the vote," they add.
The CDT states that the biggest objection that some participants had in this election process refers to the allegations that there is an organized arrival of voters who, in addition to their residence and voting rights in Montenegro, also have the right to vote in Serbia or the Bosnian entity Republika Srpska.
"Organized voter migrations are not a new phenomenon either in Montenegro or in the region, and they deserve condemnation. However, there are still a lot of unknowns regarding these allegations, which is why it is important that the state prosecutor's office is already checking these allegations," said the NGO. .
They appeal to all election participants to continue to refrain from raising tensions at the polling stations and to inform the competent authorities and the public about their findings.
"At the same time, we reiterate that polling boards have no right to deny voting rights to any person on the voter list, and we express our concern that this happened in the case of one voter, at polling station 6-B of Novka Ubović elementary school," CDT points out.
They also say that during the day citizens also provided them with information about unsolicited phone calls from Serbia, from people who had their personal data, and questioned them about voting in the elections. "We point out the inadmissibility of that practice, and we once again encourage citizens to resist such pressures and vote freely, according to their own convictions," they conclude.
The president of the Municipal Election Commission in Kotor, Anka Perović, told RTCG that there were no irregularities in the elections in that municipality until 17 p.m.
We recorded hundreds of citizens who illegally exercised their right to vote and thereby committed a criminal offense, the Democratic Party of Socialists (DPS) announced in a post on the X social network.
They added that criminal charges will be filed against all of them.
All irregularities during the holding of local elections in Podgorica, for which there is a reason to suspect that it may be a criminal offense against electoral rights, will be checked by the prosecution, announced the Basic State Prosecutor's Office in Podgorica.
The CDT announced that, during the day, observers from a large number of polling stations informed them that the polling boards had noticed ballots on which the serial number was not printed due to a typographical error.
"Even though this is a technical omission, it is important that it is properly observed and recorded in the minutes, so that the legality of the elections in those places is not called into question," they point out.
At the polling station 1-A of the Faculty of Biotechnology, the request for voting by letter was approved for the citizen who submitted the request in the name of his father, although the polling committee found that the voter had already been identified when scanning the identification document. "The electoral committee concluded that it was a system error based on the knowledge that the voter was motionless, from which we cannot confirm with certainty the correctness of this procedure," CDT states.
At polling stations number 7, the Student Sports Center, and 4-D Primary School Radojica Perović, only two representatives of the polling committee went to vote by letter. Also, only three representatives were sent to polling stations 38 of MZ Jedinstvo (small hall) and 23 of Branko Božović Elementary School. "This is not in accordance with the law, which decisively stipulates that voting by letter is carried out by four commissioners from among the deputy members of the electoral board," CDT points out.
They said that since the opening of the polling stations, they have constantly pointed out the problem with the absence of some of the members of the polling boards. "Thus, at polling station number 47 Velje brdo, only two members of the permanent composition of the polling committee remained, while the remaining three went to implement the voting procedure by letter. Also, at polling station number 58 Vrtić Đina Vrbica, out of the four members of the polling committee present, two went to vote by letter, and two remained at the polling station," CDT adds.
This is not only illegal, as they state, since the law clearly stipulates that all members or deputies must be present at the polling station, but it is questionable whether there was even a quorum for decision-making at the polling station during that period.
"At polling station number 47 Velje brdo, the commissioners for voting by mail forgot to bring a mobile ballot box, so they returned the ballots in envelopes. No decision has yet been made on how to proceed with those ballots," they conclude.
The CDT announced that at polling station number 70 of the Ljubović Shooting Center, the number of control coupons, i.e. ballot stubs, is two fewer than the number of printed stubs-certificates from the electronic identification device.
"Discrepancies in the number of election materials can create a problem when determining the voting results, since if it is determined that the number of ballots in the ballot box is greater than the number of control coupons, or if it is determined that the number of ballots in the box is greater than the number of signed stubs and signed coupons, the polling committee will be dissolved and the vote will be repeated. That is why we call on the MEC to get involved and solve this problem, so that there is no repeat of the election," the CDT announced.
At polling station 71-C Sergej Stanić Trade School, they add, one ballot was canceled because the voter publicly announced who she was voting for.
They reminded that the Law stipulates that if a voter violates the secrecy of the vote by voting publicly outside the area designated for voting or, if after voting in the area designated for that, he publicly shows the ballot to the electoral committee so that it is visible who he voted for, the president of the electoral committee is obliged to invalidate such a ballot.
At polling station 78-B, Pavle Rovinski Elementary School, one voter asked to get a new ballot because he had voted incorrectly. The electoral committee did not approve his request, and the original ballot was inserted into the ballot box, even though the electoral committee had insight into who the voter voted for.
At polling station 77D, JU Đina Vrbica, educational unit Dragan Radulović, a member of the polling committee loudly pronounces the names of the voters, which is not allowed.
At the polling station number 62-A Zaštita, after the media reported the CDT's information about the conditionality of the polling station, the polling committee was engaged to improve the lighting.
Voters of CDT- report that they receive calls from numbers from the Republic of Serbia on behalf of a list, from persons who know their personal data, with questions about voting. Once again, they called on citizens to culturally greet all those who harass them from any address today, and to vote freely for whomever they want.
The CDT announced that their observers continue to note the negative practice in a large number of polling stations that not all members of the polling committee are present.
"At polling station 19-A KIC, Budo Tomović, a member of the polling committee who is in charge of the printed extract from the voter list, constantly uses a mobile phone and sends information about voters to someone outside the polling station".
The CDT also announced that a large number of voters who previously voted at polling station number 79C of Pavle Rovinski Elementary School were returned because they were no longer registered there, and they did not receive notification about voting before the election.
"Checking where you are registered in the voter list via the biraci.me website is difficult, so we refer you to another link that, according to our experience, works without problems - e.servis.mup.gov.me/biraci.
CDT also pointed out an interesting fact from polling station number 43 Kopilje.
"There is electricity, but the light bulbs do not work. So the device for electronic identification works here, but there is no light, so the electoral committee has prepared candles".
The CDT announced that at polling station 6-B, elementary school "Novka Ubović", one voter was not allowed to vote because, allegedly, he has the citizenship of Montenegro and Serbia.
They did not specify who did not allow voting.
"We call on the MEC to react, since the electoral committees do not have the authority to deal with these checks, but are obliged to enable voting to all persons registered in the electoral register. Abuses of the right to vote, dual citizenship, dual residence, should be reported to the prosecutor's office, which according to publicly disclosed information is already conducting checks on this topic," the CDT announced.
They add that at polling station number 38 A of the MZ Jedinstvo, the polling committee took away the accreditation issued by the State Election Commission (SEC) from the CDT observer, and "issued" her another handwritten one. The reasons for this wrong practice are not clear to them, since the SEC is the only competent authority to issue official authorization for election observation to observers.
"The observers continue to inform us that the polling boards at certain polling stations are incomplete (polling stations number: 7, 7-E, 7-C Student sports center, 79C Pavle Rovinski elementary school, 77D Đina Vrbica, 16 Gallery of contemporary art, 62 MZ Stara varoš, 58 Vrtić Đina Vrbica, 71-B Trade School...).This is a frequent practice in the last few election cycles, and it is contrary to Article 72 of the Law on the Election of Councilors and Members of Parliament, according to which, while the polling station is open and voting is in progress, all members of the electoral committee or their deputies present".
The CDT states that at polling station 105-B of Dom omladine Gornja Gorica, one voter took the ballot outside the polling station. After a few minutes, she returned and wanted to insert the ballot into the box, but she was not allowed to do so and the ballot was declared invalid.
"At polling station 62-A AD Zaštita, voters complain about the non-conditionality of the polling station, congestion and poor lighting, which makes the work of the polling committee and the exercise of the right to vote difficult. the names and surnames of voters are pronounced during identification, which is not allowed. In Dajbabe, one person voted in a t-shirt with party symbols, and the electoral committee did not note this irregularity," the CDT announced.
They add that their municipal coordinators who visit the polling stations notice that a large number of polling stations do not have adapted access for people with disabilities.
"Voters report to us that they are receiving calls from numbers from the Republic of Serbia on behalf of a single list, asking whether they are going to vote. We invite citizens to culturally greet all those who harass them from any addresses today, and vote freely, for whomever they want." , they say from the CDT.
According to new data from the CDT at polling stations number 52, Dom kulture Pelev brijeg, 76-A MZ Dajbaba, 78A and 78B Elementary School Pavle Rovinski, and 72A MZ Zabjelo, voting takes place continuously or occasionally with the absence of some members of the permanent composition of the polling committee. They remind that Article 72 of the Law on the Election of Councilors and Members of Parliament stipulates that while the polling station is open and voting is in progress, all members of the polling committee or their deputies must be present at the polling station.
The opening of the polling station was delayed at polling station number 72A of the Zabjelo Municipality because the polling board was unable to activate the device for electronic identification, according to the CDT.
At polling station number NUMBER 26-D, business premises Vias, one less ballot was delivered compared to the number of registered voters.
The CDT reminds that they previously announced that the opening of polling station number 27 of Dragiša Ivanović Elementary School was delayed. That polling station was opened at 8:22. They remind that the law stipulates that in the case when voting is interrupted for more than one hour, it is extended as long as the interruption lasted.
"At polling station number 19-A KIC Budo Tomović, the procedure regarding the sealing of the ballot box was not carried out properly. Namely, the control sheet was not inserted into the ballot box, nor was it sealed in the presence of the first voter. Both the sealing and then the insertion of the control sheet was done after several voters had already voted. There was a problem with the electronic identification device at the beginning of the voting, but the problem was solved at 7:40 a.m., CDT said.
The Center for Democratic Transition announced that the opening of polling stations was carried out with technical problems and disagreements among certain polling boards.
Their observers noted individual short delays in the opening of polling stations, due to technical reasons. With a ten-minute delay, polling stations were opened number 52 Dom kulture Pelev brijeg, 71-A trade school Sergej Stanić, 14-A JP Centar Morača, 105-B Dom omladine Gornja Gorica, 8-A Elementary school Sutjeska.
At the polling station number 27 of Dragiša Ivanović elementary school, the polling committee could not find a token for the electronic identification device, so the opening is delayed.
At polling stations 78 B Elementary School Pavle Rovinski and 24 C Elementary School Dragiša Ivanović, loud pronunciation of voters' names by the polling board was recorded, which is prohibited
At polling station number 9, Sutjeska Primary School, 13 extra ballots were delivered, which were not numbered. After consultation with the MEC and entry into the minutes, these ballots were removed and voting continued.
At polling station number 16, Gallery of Contemporary Art, one less ballot was delivered compared to the number of registered voters. At polling station number 69-C of Vuk Karadžić Elementary School, several ballots less than the number of registered voters were delivered. A smaller number of ballots than the number of registered voters was delivered to polling station number 19 KIC Budo Tomović. We remind you that the competent election commission determines the number of ballots, which must be the same as the number of voters registered in the voter list, as well as the number of reserve ballots, up to 3% of the total number of voters in the respective constituency.
At polling station number 6, Elementary School Novka Ubović, one ballot was torn during the opening. After consultation with the municipal election commission and recording of this problem, the polling station was opened on time.
At polling station number 14-B JP Centar Morača, the monitor on the device for electronic identification is not working, which is why voting started with the use of visual identification.
Bonus video:
