The local elections were monitored by 700 observers, 92 of which were in 46 mobile teams. Throughout the day 46 mobile teams visited 609 polling stations, therefore GONG's observers were present at over 1000 polling stations throughout Croatia.

The polling stations were closed on time. Votes are currently being counted and we have received reports on irregularities in the counting process from a few polling stations.


GENERAL ASSESSMENT

Today's elections saw a large number of violations of the electioneering ban by political parties and independent candidates. Violations included the distribution of promotion material and sending of text messages to voters and campaigning outside or in close vicinity to polling stations, mainly by activists of the Croatian Democratic Union (HDZ) and present mayors or municipal heads, which in some places created a tense atmosphere and could potentially affect the voting results.

Additionally, the presence of unauthorized persons in or outside the polling stations added to the atmosphere of tyranny and fear, and also brought to question the independence of the voting committees.

The number of reports on ballots that were not shuffled regularly or placed facing down, the observers banned from accompanying the voting committee in their visit to the sick voters, and harassment of the observers by the voting committees, all go to show that some voting committees were untrained or had an agenda that wasn't in accordance with the law.

The cases where there was violence and the reports on buying votes (by way of offering money and photographing the ballots) raise serious suspicions about towns in which it is possible to win the elections by committing criminal offences.


OBSERVERS' REPORTS

Throughout the day our observers have called in a number of critical situations. After gathering and processing the information we report the following:

- In Šibenik (PS 3) GONG observers were banned from the polling station and sent to GIP for accreditation, even though the observers should receive their accreditations at the polling stations.
- In Vukovar (PS 7) an unidentified person threatened and harrassed the observers.
- At the PS 218 (Novi Zagreb, Veliko polje) GONG observers that requested that a cross and a picture of Franjo Tuđman be removed (which the voting committee did do) were physically threatened by a group of men. The group then pressured the president of the voting committee to hang the cross back in its place and the committee obliged after consulting with GIP. There is a strong suspicion that the violent group arrived at the polling station after a summons from the HDZ observers.
- In Vrsi a GONG observer was dragged out of the polling station by an uncle of the municipal mayor. He was visibly intoxicated and screamed at the observer after HDZ promotional materials were removed from a van that was parked in the vicinity of the polling station
- AT the PS 10 in Zamet the president of the voting committee suggested to the observer that she go to some other polling station for the opening, which she refused.
- At the PS 86 in Osijek a GONG observer was verbally abused by a member of the voting committee.
- PS 31 in Karlovac was overcrowded because there were only two voting booths and over 1000 voters.
- AT the PS 9 in Vodice the voting committee allowed the voters to vote without any form of identification, and at the PS 7 the confidentiality wasn't ensured.
- At the PS 2 in Donji Lapac one person kept coming back with different voters to, allegedly, help them vote.
- The observers reported that party and independent list members are explaining to the voters who to vote for, or are keeping tabs on who voted (Kistanje, Koming PS 8).
- The voting committee in Gornji Keginec (PS 7, Lužan) received the ballots few days prior to the elections.
- At the PS 8, 9 and 10 in Zaprešić the voting comittee members are untrained and superficial in their work.
- In Doličev Draga both the president of the voting committee and his deputy were absent from the polling station.
- In Baška Voda there was a fistfight at the polling station. Police had to intervene.
- At the PS 7, OŠ Labin, the ballot box was open.
- AT the PS 9 in Vodice the voting committee refused to add the observer's objection to the record..
- At the polling stations in Čepin county HDZ observers and members of the voting committee have a “wedding registry” and are keeping a list of who voted.
- At the polling stations in Solin HDZ observers copied the names of the voters who didn't vote and compiled a list for their central office.
- At the PS 11 in Vukovar the president of the voting committee asked the observer to sign the record before the Election Day ended.
- At the PS 466 in Zagreb the scene was chaotic, according to an observer from a mobile team: observers were handing out the ballots and the election secrecy wasn't ensured.
- At the polling stations in Cestica county a large number of the voting committee members were members of the candidates' families.
- Observers in Metković reported a large number of voters that were registered at the same address.
- In Slivnica two members of the voting committee came back from a house visit with a ballot in an envelope that wasn't sealed.
- In Velika Gorica one extra ballot was in the box.
- At the PS 1 in Kutina the voting committee refused to count the unused ballots. It is impossible to be certain about their number because the ballots were unpacked and weren't in order according to their serial numbers. The observer wanted to place an objection on the record but the committee president denied him that right.
- At the PS 9 in Vodice the members of the voting committee compared the voters lists and circled the ones that previously hadn't been circled in all 4 lists. Also, pens weren't removed prior to counting.
- At the PS 44 in Rijeka there were 2 extra ballots in the box. The voting committee circled 2 voters on the list so the numbers would match. Observers placed an objection to the record, which was accepted and signed.
- At the PS 332 in Zagreb the voters’ lists didn't match upon counting. GIP instructed the voting committee to bring the lists and the ballots to GIP for a recount.
- At the PS 11 in Zaprešić there was one extra ballot in the box. The voting committee agreed to place that on on the record.
- At the PS 6 in Slavonski Brod there was an extra ballot in the box. The voting committee is pressuring the observer to sign the forged record.
- At The PS 21 in Split there were extra ballots in the box. The committee is pressuring the observer to sign the forged record. She refused and placed an objection on the record, but the voting committee forged the record anyway.
- At the PS 4 in Velika Gorica there was one extra ballot in the box. GIP was notified and the committee was instructed to place it on the record.
- At the PS 9 in Vodice there was one extra ballot in the box. The voting committee decided to count that one as unused. The observers warned them that that's against the law.
- At PS 15 and 44 in Rijeka there were extra ballots in the box.
- At PS 5 in Srebrno, Župa Dubrovačka, 100 ballots were pronounced invalid even though they were valid. 700 voters voted in total.
- 900 ballots missing in Medulin.
- At PS 393 in Zagreb there was one extra ballot. SDP candidate pressured and terrorized the members of the voting committee.


CITIZENS' REPORTS

Throughout the day GONG received approximately 300 calls from citizens. They mostly consisted of the violation of campaign silence and reports of candidates and activists campaigning at the polling stations. There were also reports of unauthorized persons meddling in the work of voting committees. Furthermore, we have had reports on activists placed at polling stations and keeping lists on who voted (Trogir, Vinkovci, Seget Donji). A large number of citizens called about Seget Donji and reported about various irregularities.
Citizens also notified us about the ballots that weren't shuffled properly or placed facing down, jeopardizing the confidentiality. A large number of calls were received from voters who didn't know where their polling stations were. Many of those were from Zagreb where many of the polling stations' locations were changed, and the new location information was unavailable to the citizens. Many reports came about the voting committees refusing to visit the sick and elderly.

- At PS 40 in Slavonski Brod HSP had a few observers. They were told they were allowed only one. GIP intervened and they were allowed to keep all their observers.
- At PS 29 and 30 in Slavonski Brod HDZ handed out promotional material.
- HSP in Stari Mikanovci reported that the sequence of candidates on the ballots was different from what was made public prior to the Election Day. They will ask for the election to be nullified in the county.
- In Pakovo Selo (Drniš) the ballots weren't shuffled and placed facing down.
- In Pokupsko, at all 13 polling stations, the lists with all the candidates' names were missing. A member of one voting committee claims that OIP was aware of this as early as Friday.
- In Privlaka one party's observer campaigned outside the polling station.
- In Slavonski Brod HDZ headquarters were in a bar less than 50 m from a polling station. Party activists greeted the voters and campaigned.
- At PS 1 and 2 in Luka candidates were accredited as observers.
- In Supetar, Brač, electoral confidentiality wasn't ensured.
- In Brela an HDZ observer campaigned at the polling station.
- In Krapinska Podgora candidates visited polling stations.
- In Split, PS 151, Žnjan, one voting committee member instructed the voters on which number to circle.
- In Orahovica (PS 10) HDZ observers and committee members kept a list of their members that voted. Even though DIP reacted, it went on for the rest of the day.
- In Zagreb, Folnegovićevo naselje, PS OŠ, the ballot box was open.
- In Seline (Starigrad county) the voting committee didn't allow independent list's observers to accompany them on a house visit.
- In Mrzljaki, Draganić county, voters were encouraged to vote for Stjepan Golub.
- In Krištandovec (Čakovec) a bar is a part of the polling station. One candidate, Mikulaj Dušen, was buying drinks for voters.
- In Čret, Krapinske Toplice, the polling station is in a fire house and there is a bar at the entrance. HDZ candidates were buying drinks for voters.
- in Zagreb, PS Martinovka, the voting committee gave out ballots without circling the voters' names in the lists.
- in Brdo (Klis) one member of the voting committee is a daughter of the HDZ candidate.
- Luka (Zagreb county) candidates were accredited as observers.
- In Biskupija, PS Vrbnik, SDSS activists drove voters to the polling station and instructed them on who to vote for.
- Novalja, PS 1 and 2, municipal mayor Dabo campaigned outside polling stations.
- In Šaševo (Čađavica) persons that weren't members of the voting committee went on house calls to the sick and elderly. OIP denied these allegations.
- In Kruševo the elderly were driven to the polling stations and instructed on who to vote for (HDZ and one Serbian party).
- In Kistanje, Biskupija and Ervenik the voters took the ballots outside the polling stations and also voted for the persons that were absent from the polling stations.
- At PS 1 in Bednja an HNS activist kept a record on who voted.
- In Metković (Pojezerje) outside the polling stations (Rebića kuća, OŠ Don Mihovila Pavlinovića) the voters were offered 250-500 kn to vote for HDZ.
- In Gornji Kneginec HNS activists instructed voters on who to vote for.
- In Zagreb, during a mass, a priest gave a political speech.
- In Donji Macelj (Đurmanec) the voting committee helped a voter with bad eyesight to vote.
- In Petrinja, PS 8, the voting committee refused to visit the sick and the elderly.
- The confidentiality wasn't ensured at PS 358 and 360 in Zagreb, PS 6 in Karlovac, PS Dom Kulture in Bilje and PS 24 in Varaždin.
- At PS 40 in Mokošica the observers were banned from the polling station until 7.15 AM. When the polling station opened the ballot boxes were already sealed and the observers couldn't make sure they were empty.
- A reporter from Novi List wasn't allowed to take pictures at PS OŠ Marin Držić in Zagreb.
- AT PS in Matulji a wrong voter was circled in the voters list which wasn't corrected. The committee said that who was circled wasn't important as long as the numbers match.
-At PS Muzej đakovštine in Đakovo, HDZ activists campaigned outside the polling station.
- In Ilok at PS 2 and 3 HDZ activists kept a list of who voted.
- In Dubrovnik (Mravinjac Mrčevo) the voting committee members circled the names of voters that hadn't voted, with an explanation that they were instructed to vote in their names.
- In Sunja, independent list's activists went on house visits to the sick and the elderly.
- At PS Breznica an HNS observer was banned from accompanying the voting committee on a house visit. Both the members that went were from the same party.
- In Erdut HDSSB activists kept telling the voters that the election will be nullified. HDSSB candidates drove one of the GIP members around the village and she kept telling the voters that the election will be nullified.
- At PS 2 in Čepin HDZ president campaigned at the polling station. One member of the committee had a list of people and kept a tally on who voted.
- At PS 2-8 in Trogir the current mayor and candidate campaigned at the polling station. 2 SDP observers were arrested because they allegedly filmed the police without permission.
- At PS 1 in Kistanje from 7 AM till 2 PM a SDSS candidate campaigned outside the polling station.
- In Slavonski Brod HDZ candidate for deputy mayor campaigned outside the church in Brodski Varoš.
- In Oprisavci and Sibinj the current municipal mayor campaigned at the polling stations.
- In Lika several people called to say that they were visited in the late afternoon by people with ballots forcing them to vote.
- In Zagreb at PS 251, 252 and 253, Sveta Klara, a SDP candidate loitered at the polling stations and talked to voters.
- In Dubrovnik and Varaždin citizens came to vote and saw that their names had already been circled. In Dubrovnik, PS OŠ Marin Gundulić, a voter came to the polling station and found his name already circled. The voting committee offered no explanation, they just laughed at him. In Varaždin the same thing happened; the voting committee made a hand written note that the voter came to vote and gave her a ballot. She doesn't know who the committee circled.
- Voters in Zagreb also came to the polling stations to find their names already circled, at PS 205, 54, 216, Svetice. One voter in Zagreb at PS 94 Lastovska was told that he had already voted and the committee refused to give him the ballots.
- There was only one candidate for mayor in Oroslavlje. At PS Dom in Androševac the voting committee suggested to the voters they tear up the ballots.
- At PS 6 in Sveta Nedjelja candidate Srebrnjak was an observer at the polling station.
- At PS 1 and 2 in Sračinec the municipal mayor hired activists to keep a list of who voted and call the people who hadn't voted yet.
- At PS 513 OŠ Markuševec in Zagreb there were 66 extra ballots in the ballot boxes.
- At PS 4 in Donja Vrba, Gornja Vrba county, a paper with the name and phone number of the municipal mayor (Niko Pavić, HDZ) was placed next to a ballot box. Around 5 PM the candidate for deputy municipal mayor came to see how many people voted.
- In Čiblača there were 2 or 3 extra ballots in the ballot box. 

Please read the final report on election silence violations by clicking here (90 KB).   

Sandra Pernar
Executive director