ZAGREB, May 23, 2019 – Croatia’s State Electoral Commission (DIP) on Thursday dismissed claims by a political analyst about “a surplus of registered voters ” and subsequent recycling of incorrect facts as misinformation, and called on media outlets and analysts “to responsibly conduct analyses” so that they would not contaminate election processes by their blanket assessments.
DIP issued a press release today responding to “recycling of incorrect facts and data as well as fake news in media in connection with the elections held to date in Croatia and in connection with preparations for the implementation of the election for the European Parliament”.
The reaction from DIP was prompted partly by a statement by political analyst Darko Petričić who recently told the N1 commercial broadcaster that the number of 3.7 million eligible voters in Croatia did not correspond to a real state of affairs. Petričić also accused the ruling authorities in Croatia, as well as DIP and the Public Administration Ministry of having “additional voters in reserve to add them to parties that will win the elections.”
DIP says in its statement that it has never had any additional number of voters in reserve, and underscores that “the voting system has been organised in such a way that nobody can add additional ballots anywhere whatever he thinks, considering several levels of checks.”
DIP explains that it publishes election results on its website and they are all the time checkable and comparable with all the records and minutes led by polling committees.
As for the APIS IT, the commission recalls that the company is hired to provide IT support at elections, and all the procedures, instructions and guidelines in connection with the implementation of elections are within the remit of DIP.
APIS IT’s activities are also easy to check at anytime, DIP says.
It also underlined that local and international observers and experts have assessed all election processes in Croatia so far to be transparent and in compliance with the law.
Considering the forthcoming election, 4,720 observers, who represent 10 political parties and two nongovernmental organisations, have been registered to date to monitor the 26 May election.
More news about European elections can be found in the Politics section.
