Monitoring of repeated local elections in Podgorica and Danilovgrad resulted in the filing of 67 complaints to the Municipal Electoral Commission in Danilovgrad and the Election Commission of the Capital.
From that number, a total of 27 complaints related to polling places in Tuzi, and they were were filed in behalf of the Albanian initiative, the Democratic Front, and Positive Montenegro. The rest of the complaints, 40 of them were submitted because of irregularities registered at the polls in Danilovgrad.
When it comes to Tuzi, most complaints related to polling places in Dinose, 117 and 117 A, where it was recorded violation of secrecy of voting and as well violation of the Rules of procedure of electoral committees.
One of the complaints referred and on the severe violation of the secrecy of voting since at the beginning of the day it was revealed that the election material is defective, actually the paper on which were printed the ballots is almost completely transparent, so it was possible even after folding it to determine for who the voter voted.
At the polling places it was recorded presence of the people who did not vote, members of the electoral committee, deputies and the observers of the election process, which is contrary to the Law of the Election of Deputies and Members of the Parliament.
MANS’s complaints related to the constant presence of the members of the electoral committee and their deputies at the polling place during the whole election day, which is also contrary to the Law on the Election of Deputies and Members of the Parliament, and the Rules of procedures of electoral committees, while at the polling place No.32 preparation of the place was delayed, and the access at the polling place to the observers of MANS was allowed at 6:45am.
Further, to the Municipal Election Commission in Danilovgrad, after repeated elections at three polling places Lazine, Gostilje, and Kujava, based on the complaints from MANS’s observers was filed a total of 40 complaints for violation of the voting right.
When it comes to Danilovgrad, the most complaints related to violation of the Rules of procedure of the electoral committee, and most were submitted for the polling place Lazine where the members of the elector committee, in the front of everyone, several times during the election day left the voting place and by using a phone informed others about turnout at the polling place.
At this polling place MANS’s observers as well recorded presence of the people who did not have any obligation at the polling place and in front of it, where during the entire day were noticed two parked cars from which individuals kept parallel evidence, while the voting committee did not do anything to sent those people away.
In Lazine was recorded loud pronunciation of the voters names which is a gross violation of the Law on the Election of Deputies and Members of the Parliament, and it can be misused for keeping parallel evidence, and is continuously violation of the voting procedure, because during most of the day in the voting room were present more people than there are voting cabins.
At the mentioned polling place MANS’s observers were exposed to pressure from the members of the electoral committee, during which our observer experienced a serious of offenses from the same because of the references to electoral irregularities.
It is interested that at this polling place contrary to the law a ballot was annulled to the voter because the electoral committee unanimously concluded that the ballot was not adequately folded, and doing that the voter’s right to vote was illegally seized.
As for voting by letter, observers of MANS recorded that five people, who used their voting right this way, did not vote alone or possibly without the influence of other people, which is also processed to the Municipal Election Commission for the consideration.
At the polling place Gostilje, MANS’s observers recorded that one voter voted at two ballots which was noted and in the official record of the electoral committee’s work at this voting place, which indicates on serious irregularities.
Comparing to the previous types of complaints, in Kujava were registered irregularities at the beginning of the election day and as well in the period after the place closed. Specifically, at this polling place some members of the voting committee did not show up on time at 5:00 am in accordance with Riles of procedure of electoral committees, but an hour later.
As for the period after the closing of the polling place was recorded that the president of the Electoral Board did not first separated invalid ballots from valid ballots, but simultaneously counted invalid ballots and votes from the electoral list, and also he mixed papers from the transmission box, for voting by mail, with the ballots in the main box without counting.
What was common for all polling places is ignorance of the Rules of procedures of the electoral committee, and as well of the Law of the Election of Deputies and Members of the Parliament by the members of the electoral committee which, in a great deal, resulted in resentment and hostility towards MANS’s observers, who tried to observe and record all irregularities.
For all these irregularities MANS will conduct a full legal process, as in the case of the election held on May 25th, including steps before the SEC and the Constitutional Court if the need arises.
MANS
