RIK Certifies Ljajic, Pastor and Student Lists

The Republic Election Commission (RIK) held its twentieth session on the evening of September 15, and right at the opening, at 8:25 pm, announced the number of signatures collected and certified the “Student List, Students Win.” We had reported earlier that a decision on this list was expected by September 16 at the latest, and the commission reached it a day ahead of that deadline.

All 19 members present voted to certify the list. Marija Jovanovic, a member of RIK, said at the start of the session that the total number of legally valid signatures was 69,099. That figure differs from the estimates that circulated in the media over the weekend, while students were collecting signatures across Serbia, which put the number at more than 70,000. The commission also determined that the list meets the gender representation requirement and that all documentation required by law had been submitted. Ivan Sebek and David Krstic were appointed member and deputy member of the commission’s expanded composition, at the proposal of the list’s submitter.

At the same session, the commission also certified the election list “Rasim Ljajic, Human (SDP, CDP),” again unanimously, and granted it the status of a national minority list. Dzemila Divanefendic and Isidora Dizdarevic were appointed to the commission’s expanded composition at the proposal of that list. The list was submitted on September 14, with 8,053 certified signatures and 250 candidates.

The third list certified was the “Alliance of Vojvodina Hungarians, dr Balint Pastor,” which the commission also granted minority list status. Nada Bakrac and Mirjana Nikolic were appointed to the expanded composition. This list was submitted a day earlier, on September 15, with 9,531 signatures and 250 candidates.

The session was chaired by Vladimir Dimitrijevic, president of the Republic Election Commission. At the same session, the commission also adopted a decision approving polling stations with more than 2,500, or fewer than 100, registered voters.

Before these three lists, the commission had already certified two others. The list “Aleksandar Vucic, United Serbia” received ballot number 1, having been submitted on September 12 with 224,557 signatures. The list “Ivica Dacic, Factor of Stability” carries ballot number 2, submitted the same day with 21,266 signatures, of which 18,162 were certified. With last night’s certifications, the number of confirmed participants in the election cycle has risen to five.

Under the commission’s schedule, election lists may be submitted until October 4, while polling stations must be determined by September 19 at the latest. The snap parliamentary election has been set for October 25, and polling stations will be open that day from 7 am to 8 pm.