Who would you vote for…
...at the upcoming Serbian elections, January 21st? I know you always wanted to find out the answer to this question, so here’s the chance: Web Voter (other languages avalable – Web glasac in Serbian and Web votuesi in Albanian) is a quiz with 30 questions regarding most areas of political, social and economic life in Serbia. After you answer all of them, the test will show you how your views match the answers given by some political parties in Serbia.
This is a good example of how internet can be used to make some stands and viewpoints of the political parties clearer and closer to the voters, and it think it’s the first time it’s been done in Serbia.
Now, of course there are some faults and things that could have been done better, and i wouldn’t be a “real Serb” if missed the opportunity to criticize them 
First of all, there is no Serbian Radical party listed as an option, and it would be interesting to have their viewpoints as well.
Another fault is that the attitudes of DS and DSS have been listed only “on the basis of YIHR’s analysis of their programs, agendas and their representatives’ public appearances”. Of course, this is the fault of the parties themselves, but it would have been better if the YIHR insisted a bit more to get the answers, i mean, it’s just a couple of emails and phone calls more, right?
Big plus is that you can see exact points where your and parties attitudes match, and where they don’t, but it is kind of unfair to say that all questions should carry the same weight or percentage – but I’ll admit that this is really hard to determine, so i won’t be nitpicky.
Still, even with all these drawbacks, i will easily give kudos to the folks who made this. I hope to see it improved for the next elections, and i hope that all the parties will send their answers, and most of all, i hope all the parties will stick to them when they come to power.
So go ahead, take the test and publish the results in comments if you want.
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I’m not sure how accurate my results are, as I’m not aware of all of the issues facing the Serb electorate-such as the issue over how much MPs should be paid; but my highest result was for the LDP/GSS/LSV/SDU in “second place” was G-17.
I’m surprised that Serb Radical Party was not given as an option, especially given that they still seem to poll a strong number in elections; and it would be interesting to have all of the main parties given as an option.
Anyways, the quiz was enjoyable; and actually a fun way to learn more about the basic platforms of the political parties in Serbia. I wish I would have found a similar website when the Bosnian elections were taking place though!
I answered “neutral” for almost everything and got the same recommendation as shaina: LDP/GSS/LSV/SDU, followed by G-17. Not sure what that means, but it was still fun.
I’m not pleased with this test. I turn out to be a supporter of G17, followed by SPO and then LDP.
I didnt know that G17 were for reducing MP’s pay. Thats the first I heard about it!
There are mistakes in the questions as well I believe that there should be national service, not national military service so how do I answer?
I believe that the state should pay more attention to the Serbian diaspora but not only the right wing diaspora they are thinking of but also the tens of thousands of educated Serbs who decided to melt into the global pot.
Nationalism alone is not the only problem that is holding Serbia back.
Ratko Mladic should be tried ASAP either in Serbia or at the Hague.
Privatisation of state enterprises is good in a way – increases profit of those companies but bad in another – money which would have gone to the taxpayer goes to the (usually rich) shareholder.
Number 25 is also a strange question I wasnt sure if by answering one way it would not be understood in the opposite way. ie the democratic party is supposedly for – state soverignty must not be sacrificed for the purpose of integration into the international community. To be for something not to be?? DS against integration into international institutions because of state soverignty – I must be misinformed! On the same question apparantly DSS is neutral, what is going on?
Good post though viktor, its was fun!
Exactly what is the constroversy over how much the MPs get paid right now?
No particular current controversy but it became much more of an issue when it came out how certain MP’s were using their ‘dnevnica’ (expenses). Most were from SPS and SRS and they managed expenses totalling hundreds of thousands of dinars on things like petrol (gas) and hotel expenses.
Of course you get the usual arguments on MP’s pay. If you pay them more then they wont be as corrupt (yeah right, tell that to somebody who will believe it). How about making sure they are not corrupt and only then giving them a pay rise?
In fact I think that LDP are one party who have come out in favour of reducing the pay of all state workers. But it might be sexier to only include MP’s in the question.
It turned out that I will vote for PUPS-SPD
Hehehehe, just kidding.
My results are DSS (
) followed by DS, G17+ and SPO equally and as last the neocommunists…I mean LDP.
Apart from the last LDP, whose position corresponds to my reality, all the other don’t. For me, i can’t make up my mind between DS and G17+.
Shaina, the Serbian Radical Party would’ve been covered by a single question (Do you support Greater Serbia project) anyway
The issue that I miss on the test is if it would be a good idea for Mladić to be tried in Sarajevo…
And honestly, I don’t know nearly enough about economics as to assess if the current VAT rate is good or not.
From what I have seen, if your choice isn’t Kostunica (maybe) or the Radical Party, you are voting for a Greater Albania. Good luck after that.
Shaina,
yes, as Dejan said – perhaps they would have to make whole new question poll for Serbian Radical party…
Michael and Bganon,
a lot of questions are formulated badly and unclear and for a lot of them you have to be at least a little bit informed about some very internal matters in the Serbian politics, but i agree it’s fun. And i hope it will be improved for the following elections, it can’t do any damage anyway.
Cvijus,
i just saw the greatest election slogan of all times from PUPS (the party or retired workers) – “vote for us because pension is your future!”
Blackbird,
i think the Great Albania would represent a threat only to Albania itself these days, with NATO, Partnership for peace signing etc.
Anyways, I’m at my grandparents now, celebrating Slava (St Stevan) so i expect a lot of politics talk at a dinner table. Hopefully it will all go without casualties
Viktor,
Despite the fact that we share the same Slava, I have to say that I find your political analyses to be incredibly naive to the point of being dangerous. I mean, I can hardly BELIEVE that you said that and to debate with someone with that opinion on something so important, and so basic, must be like beating one’s head against a blank wall. I have a headache already now — from sheer exasperation.
Viktor,
Srecna Slava domacine.
Well, PUPS is the most hilarious party I have seen. My grandfather will vote for them. I just want to know: how do they expect their pensions when everybody will be a pensioner? For me, this party is just a clown party in these elections for people to laugh and have their minds elsewhere from the depressing political climate of Serbia.
Knowing the political mentality of Albania and Albanians as a nation, for them the Euroatlantic integrations are secondary to the issues of Kosovo and Albanian territorial expansion (we all have witnesses southern Serbia and Macedonia). It’s not only Serbia that has to deal with nationalism, Albanians have to even more… it is only the naivety of our NGO’s that pisses me off when saying that we are the only ones that have to deal with nationalism.
Dejane,
“I miss on the test is if it would be a good idea for Mladić to be tried in Sarajevo…”
That ain’t a bad idea. I would also some other questions:
1) Should Naser Oric be tried in Banja Luka/Belgrade?
2) Should Ante Gotovina, Agim Ceku, Branimir Glavas, Ramus Haradinaj… be tried in Belgrade?
I did the test and didn’t or, don’t understand the results. It really didn’t tell me anything. Perhaps because I’m American I don’t understand it.
I liked a lot of questions but, the final results were wierd. I’ve never seen a test like this where the results are like this.
Oh well! As others stated. It was fun.
Matching Level
Matching chart
LDP/GSS/LSV/SDU —————————————————-
SPO ——————————————
DS ——————————————-
G17 ———————————-
DSS ————————
I think I got a basic understanding of it now.
Frankly I dont care where Mladic is tried, its the trial process that I care about. He could be tried on the planet mars by aliens if that was the best place for it.
As I understand it the war crimes prosecutor in Bosnia believes that all crimes committed within Bosnian borders should be tried in Bosnia. Hmm. But also find the view that one should be tried by ones own ethnic group / country, well…a little creepy, if the idea is to suggest that justice can only be passed by those of the same nationality. What will we have next, all black jury’s for black defendents?
I wonder if Covic can make it back into parliament with PUPS. He’s a smart (but not particularly moral) guy but he miscalculated with Karic recently and I expect him to think about asking if the Democratic Party will home him if he fails with PUPS. Still, many in DS wont want him, fearful of his political ambition.
Dejan the VAT question should be looked at in this way. VAT is paid by all of us equally so the poor are punished more (relatively) when it goes up as opposed to income tax for example. ie if you dont have a job then rising income tax wont hurt you.
Anyway I think the question on VAT should be more specific – should it be applied to books, childrens clothes, computer items and at what rate?
Hey, guys and girls, here are some information about the things Viktor said in his post. YIHR has been putting pressure on DS and DSS to get their answers on these questions. We’ve been talking to “high officials” of parties on this matter, but the parties made their decision that it’s better for them not to give us their answers.
That’s the biggest disappointment and the reason why we gave such comments.
We are glad you enjoy the WEB VOTER anyway. General idea of it is just to stimulate talks about going out to vote, and occasionally help somebody to make their decision for whom to vote at the elections.
If you know Serbian a bit, check Dosta Cutanja!
Best regards,
moJA inIcijaTIva
(my initiative)
********moJA inIcijaTIva is a developing movement that is making the “Mobilization of Civic Serbia” – Go Out to Vote campaign. WEB VOTER is just a part of the campaign. If you’re in Belgrade, we’ll be organizing a big party on the Trg Republike on the 19th January at 20h. Feel free to come! And you might see our activist arround the city.. Look for stickers (NISU SVI ISTI, BOLI TE UVO, BOLECE TE GLAVA and such). Best regards!!!
The consensus from the Serbian voters I know is that there is NOBODY to vote for in the coming elections. So…nothing’s changed for years apparently.
Blackbird are you talking about people in Serbia or the diaspora?
I have a feeling the turnout will be higher than the last general election – mostly due to the fact that for some reason we havent been as saturated with election coverage.
I will be voting, as usual. Frankly, I think its irresponsible not to vote and frankly its always the ones that complain the most who dont vote.
A friend of mine summed it up quite nicely – I dont want to vote so I wont be responsible for the mess. My reply was if you dont vote you are even more responsible.
This topic is so frustrating to me.
Yes, I am talking about people in Serbia. I know people that live in small towns and are compelled to go to the voting booth because they will be looked down upon if they don’t (unlike in Belgrade where it’s easier to be anonymous), yet they have NO CANDIDATE for whom to vote. They have no belief in anyone that’s in the running. They say their only choice is to go and then to cross out all the candidates. I think that a “none of the above” choice on the ballot would be a good idea everywhere, especially in the U.S., and certainly in Serbia these days. Come on! No true leader has shown his face in Serbia yet. In my opinion, crossing everyone out is a legitimate “vote”.
How about a candidate who cares about the people more than his/her pocket or his/her political career, which is the same as his/her pocket anyway. If you point out Kostunica to me all I will say is that, sure he has some valid points and he appears to have a little more integrity than some others, but he has no guts — where has he been the last couple of years anyway? I haven’t heard him say anything until he finally started speaking against the independence of Kosovo, as he should, but why didn’t he get tough about at least that issue years ago? I say screw the EU and lets see some Serbian leaders show some cohones….just for a change.
Seriously — how can any self-respecting Serb vote for Tadic when he is supported…officially!...by Schroeder????
But…Oooohh! Looky here! Are some things really a-changin’...is Kostunica actually having an effect on somebody?
http://byzantinesacredart.com/blog
EU Willing to Sacrifice Kosovo-Metohija Independence
MOSCOW, Russia, Jan. 18, 2007 (Novye Izvestiya, Tanjug) — Europe is considering the possibility of reaching a decision on unacceptability of independence for Serbian Kosovo-Metohija province, and is willing to sacrifice the “friendship” of Albanian Muslims in Serbian province in order to continue to have a predictable partner in current Serbian Prime Minister Vojislav Kostunica, the Russian daily Novye Izvestiya reported on Thursday.
Europe is willing to sacrifice the planned hijacking of the Serbian province of Kosovo-Metohija in order to prevent a victory of the Radicals in Serbia, the daily said, adding that pressure was being intensified from Brussels onto the Albanian Muslim leadership in the province which was urged to peacefully accept any possible outcome of the process of defining the status of the sovereign Serbian province.
The Russian daily also reports, quoting sources close to the Serbian Foreign Ministry, that Javier Solana’s Commissariat of Foreign Affairs and Security was considering the possibility that a decision be reached at the level of the EU Council of Ministers on unacceptability of independence for Serbian Kosovo province, which would be viewed in the Serbian public as a major diplomatic success of its current government.
Brussels which, according to the author of the text, has already become used to the moderate Prime Minister Vojislav Kostunica, is afraid of a possible victory of the Serbian Radical Party at the elections, and European emissaries are willing to do all they can in order to prevent Serbian Radicals from setting up a new government.