The Commissioner for the Protection of Equality, Milan Antonijević, recommended that the Republic Electoral Commission (REC) undertake all necessary measures and activities within its competence with the aim of ensuring accessible, independent and secret voting for blind and visually impaired voters at all polling stations in the territory of the Republic of Serbia.

Although the Constitution and laws guarantee everyone an equal and secret right to vote, in practice blind and visually impaired voters continue to face various obstacles at polling stations, and due to election materials that have not been adapted to their needs, many of them are unable to independently circle their candidate, thereby compromising the secrecy of their vote and denying them the right to freely express their political will without another person having insight into their choice.

The Commissioner recommended that the REC provide tactile templates for ballot papers, as well as other aids at all polling stations in the country, so that blind and visually impaired persons can read and complete the ballot paper independently; adapt instructions and information on the manner of voting, as well as respect the right of persons with disabilities, if they so wish, to vote with the assistance of a person of their own choosing.

The recommendation pointed to the necessity of taking, already at the stage of preparation and organization of elections, all measures within the competence of electoral bodies in order to ensure the accessibility of elections for blind and visually impaired persons. The Commissioner emphasized that the exercise of this right must not be conditional upon knowledge of Braille, the ability to use a particular technical aid, or acceptance of a single predetermined voting model, but that it is necessary to provide several mutually complementary ways of accessing election materials and voting, so that every voter can choose the method that corresponds to their individual needs.

Accessible and secret voting is a necessary condition for the exercise of the right to equal participation in political and public life. By ensuring conditions for independent and secret voting for blind and visually impaired voters, the Republic of Serbia not only removes a specific obstacle to the exercise of voting rights, but also strengthens the inclusiveness of the electoral process, citizens’ confidence in elections and the democratic legitimacy of elected representatives, Commissioner Antonijević stated in the reasoning of the recommendation.