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The present situation

President Vučić stated on 16 August that elections will be called within 15, 20 or 25 days - at least the tenth such announcement in three months. No date has been formally set, but the campaign is already visible on the ground. Over three months CRTA recorded 94 field activities by the President, more than any other monitored official, including 24 in two days during his 10-11 August tour of seven municipalities. Almost none was presented as party activity. By 18 August he had appeared live on television 64 times this month, passing the previous monthly record of 61 - and August is not over.

Two extraordinary one-off payments have been scheduled for September: to pensioners and recipients of social assistance, child benefits and veterans' allowances, and to citizens who acquired the right to free shares from the Shareholder Fund. Together they amount to almost 1 billion euros - close to twice the 540 million paid out before the 2022 elections and more than double the 425 million paid in 2023.

August

On 17 July 2026 the Government submitted to the National Assembly a draft Law on the Judicial Academy, with accompanying amendments to the Law on Judges and the Law on Public Prosecution. The package makes a certificate of completed Academy training the mandatory precondition for a first appointment as a judge or prosecutor, confirming the Academy as the single entry point into both professions. It entered procedure a day after the Venice Commission's urgent opinion, which found key recommendations implemented but insisted the legislative process remain transparent and inclusive.

On 13 July 2026, the Speaker of the National Assembly, Ana Brnabić, announced a public call for candidate applications for a new Commissioner for Information of Public Importance and Personal Data Protection, formally opening the election procedure. The application deadline is 30 days. The incumbent Commissioner, Milan Marinović, has announced that he will run again, although the applicable 2021 law bars re-election. The procedure is expected to conclude in autumn 2026.

In July, CRTA recorded 207 manipulations on the front pages of print media and in the headlines of central news broadcasts, the highest monthly total since the start of 2026. Vilifying opponents and vilifying neighbours remained the dominant narratives, while personality cult content rose sharply, reaching 31 manipulations after emerging as a secondary narrative in June.

Key Issue

In numbers

Rotating selection of numerical data drawn from CRTA+ monitoring. Quantitative indicators can often reveal patterns, scale, and change more clearly than narrative descriptions alone, helping to illustrate how political and institutional developments unfold over time. The figures shown here reflect different aspects of CRTA+ monitoring and are updated as new data becomes available.

3,400

citizen testimonies collected about the suspected sonic attack on 15 March 2025

71%

of citizens trust state universities - the most trusted institution (June 2026)

5,384

TV segments analyzed in CRTA's monitoring across four national channels, Jan–Jun 2026

CRTA.Plus is part of CRTA’s work to document developments related to democracy, the rule of law, and accountability in Serbia.

Key Issues

Slučajevi

Other pages

Slučajevi

The present situation

The Government sends parliament a draft Law on the Judicial Academy making completed Academy training the sole gateway to judicial and prosecutorial office.

The National Assembly announced a public call for the election of a new Commissioner for Information of Public Importance.

CRTA recorded 207 manipulations in July on front pages and in TV news headlines, the highest monthly total this year.

Key Issues

Civil Society Resilience

Protests in Serbia

Elections and Voting Integrity

Institutions and Oversight

Media and Information Space

In numbers