2. About the research
2.1. Objectives
The primary intention of this study is to ensure in-depth understanding of electoral justice
processes in Serbia and identify priority areas for future intervention. Simply put, the authors
aim at making this topic more accessible to both the general public and political
parties/organisations and facilitating medium-term improvements to the state of play in this
field.
The goal of this research is to enhance knowledge of electoral rights and how they are
safeguarded and abused, as well as how electoral justice operates in Serbia.
The objectives are to:
(1) research and assess electoral abuses and electoral justice in Serbia;
(2) initiate (longer-term and more sustainable) public dialogue and create a mechanism for
consultations amongst stakeholders (media outlets and political parties and
organisations);
(3) raise awareness of electoral abuses and electoral justice; and
(4) develop educational and advocacy materials to be used in building capacity of key
stakeholders (media outlets and political parties and organisations).
2.2.
Methodological approach
The significance and complexity of electoral justice required a complex and multidimensional
methodological approach. It has had to take into account international electoral justice
standards whilst not losing sight of the specific nature of the Serbian local context. At the same
time, for the research to yield the expected results, a variety of methods and techniques had
to be deployed.
The methodological approach entailed three types of research:
(1) desk review and review of secondary sources (legal assessments and election
monitors’ reports);
(2) quantitative survey in the form of an opinion poll of adult Serbians (voters);
and
(3) qualitative survey in the form of stakeholder interviews – representatives of
political parties and organisations, academia, the judiciary, and the community of
experts.
(1) The desk review and review of secondary sources were used for the assessment of legal
documents and practice as described in reports produced by Serbian and foreign election
monitoring missions. The legal assessment looked at compliance with four principles of good
practice in resolving electoral disputes, namely fairness, efficiency, effectiveness, and
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