Montenegrin State Election Commission begins livestreaming its sessions with OSCE support

On 17 April, the State Election Commission of Montenegro (SEC) held its first livestreamed session using video equipment provided by the OSCE Mission to Montenegro.

By introducing livestreamed sessions, SEC has addressed a recommendation from the OSCE Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights (ODIHR) following the 2020 parliamentary elections. The recommendation proposed, among other measures, that online broadcasting and media access to SEC sessions should be considered to enhance transparency and strengthen public confidence in the work of the election administration.

Opening the session, the Chair of the Commission, Nikola Mugoša, stated that today's session – the first to be broadcast publicly – marked a step forward in the Commission’s work. “Since the beginning of this and the previous convocation, we have been committed to increasing transparency. By opening the sessions to the public, we are enabling citizens and the media to follow our work more easily, providing an additional impetus for transparency,” said Mugoša, who also noted that SEC opened its sessions to the media in 2023.

Speaking on behalf of the OSCE Mission, Darko Brajović, National Programme Officer in the Democratization Programme, said that with the introduction of livestreamed sessions, the Commission had entered a new chapter for electoral transparency in Montenegro. “The Mission is pleased to have supported this initiative by providing the necessary video equipment to make livestreaming possible. However, the real credit goes to all of you who voted in favour of making this happen. When electoral processes are open and visible to the public, they inspire confidence,” said Brajović.

The Survey on public perceptions and confidence in election management bodies, commissioned by the OSCE Mission in October 2021, found that 87.3 per cent of respondents believed that if SEC’s meetings were public, it would strengthen public confidence in its work and in the electoral process.

The OSCE Mission to Montenegro will continue supporting election administration bodies in building capacity to conduct elections in line with OSCE commitments and best international practice.