New electoral technologies will curb manipulation but cannot guarantee fair polls alone, says Soreca

“New technologies are intended to reduce electoral manipulation, but they cannot by themselves ensure free and fair elections. The institutions of this country have primary responsibility for ensuring the integrity of elections, but civil society and independent media are equally important. They play a key role in monitoring the process and holding all stakeholders accountable,” Soreca said. He added, “Free and fair elections are one of the clearest tests of a country’s readiness for the European Union.”

Central Election Commission President Jovan Kalaba noted that equipment is now deployed across all polling stations.

“By introducing biometric voter identification devices and optical scanners, we are taking a major step forward in protecting the integrity of the electoral process. The new technology does not change the way people vote, as citizens will continue to vote using paper ballots, but the equipment should ensure that every ballot is counted exactly as it was marked,” Kalaba explained. He further noted, “We cannot impose sanctions based on assumptions, but only on the basis of clear legal provisions and evidence.”

Dario Jovanovic, project manager of the “Pod Lupom” Coalition, stated that the country finally possesses conditions for the freest elections to date.

“New electoral technologies are not merely a technical issue. They are fundamentally about citizens’ freedom of expression, that is, a guarantee that every vote will be counted as it was cast. Without free and fair elections, every democratic institution loses its foundation and citizens’ trust,” Jovanovic stated.