Transparency Serbia criticizes loopholes in official campaign regulations

Representatives from Transparency Serbia have raised concerns regarding the effectiveness of new regulations intended to prevent official campaigning during election periods. Despite recent amendments to the Law on Prevention of Corruption, critics argue that the legislation creates only an illusion of control rather than effectively limiting the use of state resources for partisan purposes.

The current legal framework allows for exceptions, including international activities, traditional annual events, and promotional activities that were officially planned and announced prior to the election period. Transparency Serbia notes that many officials have exploited these loopholes by submitting extensive lists of pre-planned activities to gain legal coverage for their actions during the campaign.

In some instances, officials have reported dozens of promotional activities to bypass restrictions. For example, the Mayor of Niš reportedly listed 73 activities to occur between October 5 and October 25. Critics suggest that the current oversight by the Anti-Corruption Agency, which often relies on mere warnings, is insufficient to ensure a clear separation between state duties and political campaigning.