Date Printed: 11/03/2008 JTS Box Number: IFES 13 Tab Number: 2 Document Title: Serbia, FRY Final Report: October 1999-September 30, 2002 Document Date: 2002 Document Country: Serbia IFES ID: R01922 • ••••••••••••••••••• ••••••••••••••••••• 1 .• •• • ••• , •• •• • ••• 1 •• ••... .- •••• 1 ••• II •••• ! Ii iii FO • • • ••• I ••. :. - •••• 1 •• •• • ••• 1 •• -...••• 1 •• c ••••••••••••••••• 1 ••••••••••••••••••• 1 •• = ••••••••••••••••• 1 •• ~ ••••••••••••••••• I •• ~ ••••••••••••••••• I •• ~ ••••••••••••••••• I •• ~ ••••••••••••••••• ! •• ~ ••••••••••••••••• 1 ••••••••••••••••••• 1 •• c.......... .1 •• ~..........••••••••• ..,..1 •• ••••••••• • ••• , •• ••••••••• • ••• : ••.••••••••.. I I I I I ~. I i ••••••••••••••••••• ! IFES MISSION STATEMENT The purpose of IFES is to provide technical assistance in the promotion of democracy worldwide and to serve as a clearinghouse for information about democratic development and elections. IFES is dedicated to the success of democracy throughout the world, believing that it is the preferred form of gov­ ernment. At the same time, IFES firmly believes that each nation requesting assistance must take into consideration its unique social, cultural, and envi­ ronmental influences. The Foundation recognizes that democracy is a dynam­ ic process with no single blueprint. IFES is nonpartisan, multinational, and inter­ disciplinary in its approach. MAKING DEMOCRACY WORK Serbia, FRY FINAL REPORT October 1999 -September 30,2002 USAID COOPERATIVE AGREEMENT No. EE-A-00-97-00034-00 .0 Submitted to the UNITED STATES AGENCY FOR INTERNATIONAL DEVELOPMENT by the INTERNATIONAL FOUNDATION FOR ELECTION SYSTEMS I I SERBIA, FRY FINAL REPORT I Table of Contents I. EXECUTIVE SUMMARy ......................................................................... 1 I II. OFFICE AND PERSONEL....................................................................... 3 A. Pre-Election Assessment B. Observation Training I C. Assistance to the REC 2000 Serbian Elections I D. OSCE South Serbia Redistricting Assessment III. PROGRAMATIC ACTIVITIES .............................................................. .3 A. 2000 Pre-Election Assessment (PET A) ............................................. .4 I 1. Background ii. Objective Scope of the Mission 1lI. Activities I IV. Materials Produced v. Impact and Evaluation B. Observation Training ............................................................................ 5 I 1. Background 11. Objective Scope of the Mission iii. Activities I .IV. Materials Produced v. Impact and Evaluation C. Assistance to the REC 2000 Serbian Elections 8 I I. Background ii. Objective Scope of the Mission iii. Activities I IV. Materials Produced v. Impact and Evaluation D. OSCE South Serbia Redistricting Assessment .................................. .10 I 1. Background ii. Objective Scope ofthe Mission 111. Activities I IV. Materials Produced v. Impact and Evaluation I E. Other Programmatic Activities ............................................................ 12 IV. Recommendations and Challenges ............................................................. 12 I Challenges ................................................................................................................ 12 A. 2000 Pre-Election Assessment B. Observation Training I C. Assistance to the REC 2000 Serbian Elections D. OSCE Serbia Redistricting Assessment I I Recommendations........................................................................................................... 13 A. 2000 Pre-Election Assessment I B. Observation Training C. Assistance to the RED 2000 Serbian Elections D. OSCE South Serbia Redistricting Assessment I E. Other Programmatic Activities I VII. Conclusion .............................................................................................................. 16 Appendices A. IFES Pre-Election Technical Assessment Report, June 2000 I B. Observation Training and Assistance Report, August-September, 2000 C. Parliamentary Election Technical Assistance Final Report, December 2000 I D. Electoral Arrangements of Local Authorities in South Serbia, A Report Prepared at the Request of the Joint Working Group, March 2002 I I I I I I I I I I I •. , 1 1 I. EXECUTIVE SUMMARY In 1999, the International Foundation for Election Systems (IFES) received a modification to its 1 cooperative agreement (EE-A-0097-00034-00) with the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) to conduct election-related activities in the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia (FRY). The work that was done formed a series of activities conducted under a largely restrictive, 1 politically hostile and tumultuous environment. The conduct of the activities have paved the way for more intense involvement in a reformed and more democratic election system should the Serbian government invest itself in such reform. The activities IFES conducted over the course of the agreement from June 2000 - March 2002 represent possibilities for an increased democratic future for Serbia. These 1 four projects form rudimentary election elements that, if implemented and continued, could form the base of an excellent start in election reform. When combined with other basic reform elements, the net result would be a system that represents a good-faith effort in addressing international election standards and I democratic reform. Work that IFES engaged in includes: 2000 Pre-Election Technical Assessment: providing baseline information on the status of the Serbian 1 election system and identifying concrete work for improving the system prior to elections in 2000. Observation Training: planning and coordinating training programs for international observers to the 1 September 24 federal elections in the FRY, and to assist in defraying cost for the observers. Assistance to the Serbian Republican Election Commission (REC): providing assistance to the REC 1 in helping voters understand the voting process and poll workers better understand their duties in the 2000 parliamentary elections OSCE South Serbia~ Redistricting Assessment: participation in the Task Force on Electoral 1 Boundaries through supplying an electoral boundary expert to assess electoral redistricting in the southern Serbian municipalities ofBujanovac and Medvedja. 1 Political Background Beginning in 1991, the Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia began to disintegrate as the republics of 1 Slovenia, Croatia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, and Macedonia seceded and formed independent states. Montenegro, through the referendum process, opted to remain within Yugoslavia with the Republic of Serbia. As a result, the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia (FRY) was established with each of the 1 constituent republics enjoying sovereign and equal status according to the Constitution adopted by the Federal Parliament on April 27, 1992. 1 In july 2000, at the direction of President Slobodan Milosevic, the FRY parliament enacted sweeping constitutional and statutory changes that significantly altered the electoral system of FRY. The most. important changes were (I) to mandate the direct election of the President of FRY, (2) to mandate the direct election of the upper chamber of Parliament -- the Chamber of Republics, and (3) the removal of a 1 requirement for at least 50 per cent turnout to validate the election. On the heels of these changes, President Milosevic called for federal, parliamentary and presidential elections to be held on September 1 24,2000. It was widely expected that fall 2000 elections would not be "free and fair," nor allow for the true expression of the majority will. However, in general it appeared that most of the expected types of 1 fraudulent activity occurred, but in a more-or-less random fashion. It did not appear that any massive systematic fraudulent activities occurred on election day. The election and ensuing events toppled the 1 I: 1 I I Milosevic regime and on Saturday, October 7, Vojislav Kostunica was sworn in as the new President of the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia. I Project Context The election work of IFES over the course of the cooperative agreement was conducted as political and I electoral events took place in Serbia. The time frame below sets out the context of that work within the election framework. I DATE EVENT 2000 June IFES Pre-Election Technical Assessment (PETA) July FRY Parliament enacts constitutional and statutory election changes: (I) direct I election of FRY President; (2) direct election of upper chamber of Parliament; (3) removal of the requirement of at least 50 percent turnout of eligible voters to validate elections. Federal, parliamentary and presidential elections to be held I on 24 September 2000. August 25- IFES establishes and operates office in Budapest for election support: September 29 Training for International Election Observers I September 17- IFES International Observer traininglbriefing sessions with other international 22 organizations held in Slovakia, Bulgaria, and Romania. September 22- Ukrainian (9/22), Bulgarian and Romanian (9/23) observer delegations I 24 disbanded upon non-receipt of accreditation. The Slovakian observer delegation disbanded 9124 upon denial of visas. September 24 Elections: federal president, both houses of federal parliament, municipal I councils throughout Serbia, city councils in two locations, provincial assembly in Vojvodina. October 7 Vojislav Kostunica sworn In as President of the Federal Republic of I Yugoslavia. October 8 Old Serbian parliament enacts revised election legislation providing framework