Full Coverage: Serbia and Montenegro

31.10.2006 The Referendum on the New Constitution of Serbia succeeded, reports CeSID on the basis of its exit poll conducted on a representative sample of 600 ballot stations. 51.6% of all registered voters voted for the New Constitution. In absolute numbers, that is 108,000 votes more than the required threshold.

27.10.2006 Marijana Pajvancic, professor of Constitutional Law at Novi Sad University, said last night, at the “Boycott, Of Course!” debate held at the Museum of Vojvodina, that the referendum process won’t be controlled properly, having in mind that the Referendum Commission members come solely from the ranks of political parties that support the New Constitution.

26.10.2006 The Intiative for Boycott of the Referendum on the New Constitution, started by Vojvodina based non-governmental organizations, demanded from the state authorities to start ex officio investigation on the incident in TuesdaysÂ’ rally in Belgrade, accompanied with insults on a whole nation, the NGO and political party activists who support the boycott of the coming Referendum.

25.10.2006 The 4th Annual Assembly of the Federation of NGOs in Serbia(FeNS) was held in Belgrade, October 21-22, with participation of over 150 representatives of member-organizations.

25.10.2006 The Montenegrin T-Com announced that it will secure free ADSL internet for all elementary and secondary schools in Montenegro for the next five years. The company sees this as a contribution to the process of increasing computer literacy among the population of Montenegro.

23.10.2006 The Development Cultural Information Centre MOST was accepted into full membership of the Northern Alliance for Sustainability.

23.10.2006 The Centre for Free Elections and Democracy (CESID) will follow the turnout and the results of the referendum on the Constitution of Serbia on a representative sample of 600 ballot stations, the voting procedure and any eventual violations of law and proper procedures.

23.10.2006 The UN Population Fund (UNFPA) will open a office by the end of this year, having in mind Serbia’s problems with age structure of the population and the “brain-drain” issue.

21.10.2006 More than 20 nongovernmental organizations from Serbia signed the open letter to Hans Ola Urstad, Head of OSCE Mission to Serbia, demanding explanation of the view that the coming referendum on the new Constitution is democratic.

21.10.2006 Approximately a quarter of Serbian population (one million and a half, 24.2%) uses internet, shows the survey conducted by the Centre for Study of Information Technology (CEPIT), an institution working under the auspices of the Belgrade Open School.

13.10.2006 Provoked by the fact that, 15 years after the start of wars in former Yugoslavia, no information has been presented on war crimes committed in the name of Serbia, Women in Black started the Women Ask action, to ask the authorities to bring the information on those crimes to the light of the day.

13.10.2006 In addition to the official referendum campaign and political commentary in mainstream media, the citizens of Serbia have the opportunity to get involved into online debate on the new Serbian Constitution, the solutions it offers and the reasons for the call to boycott the referendum.

12.10.2006 The corruption in Serbia has returned to its pre-October 5, 2000 levels, states the Council for Fight against Corruption in its letter to Prime Minister Vojislav Kostunica.

11.10.2006 More than 20 nongovernmental organizations asked the citizens of Serbia to reconsider whether to go out and vote in the Referendum on the New Constitution, scheduled for October 28-29.

06.10.2006 After the Draft of the New Constitution of Serbia was voted in by the Serbian Parliament without a proper public debate, the civil society in Serbia slowly mobilizes its efforts towards a campaign to boycott the referendum for confirmation of the new Constitution, scheduled for October 28 and 29.

06.10.2006 Regarding the general climate in Serbia related to the process of change of Constitution and the final status of Kosovo, the Centre for Development of Civil Society invited the Government to take the appropriate legal and administrative measures and to make the necessary personnel changes against creators and distributors of anti-minority and anti-Albanian sentiments in Serbia.

03.10.2006 The Open Society Fund and the Centre for Democracy will hold a round-table discussion on October 6, with the goal to initiate the public debate on the Draft-Constitution in the civil society, at the University and in professional associations.

03.10.2006 Labris – Organization for Lesbian Human Rights from Belgrade, in cooperation with German foundation Filia die.Frauenstiftung and several institutions, TV and radio broadcasters from Serbia, launches the Proud of My Parents media campaign, designed to support parents and friends of lesbians and gay men.