OSCE Mission to Montenegro supports State Election Commission and Association of Blind discussion on polling station accessibility

Ensuring accessibility for all voters at polling stations is essential and the responsibility of election commissions. This was the conclusion of representatives of the Montenegrin State Election Commission at a workshop organized by the Association of the Blind of Montenegro on 30 June in Podgorica.

Katarina Bigović, Project Co-ordinator in the Association of the Blind, explained that this workshop is part of the project “Choose accessibility” supported by the European Association of the Blind. The project examines the practice, solutions, and opportunities for improving participation of persons with disabilities in political and public life in Montenegro.

Aleksa Ivanović, Chair of the State Election Commission, said, in his consultations with municipal election commissions, that he reviewed the legal framework and emphasized their responsibility to ensure all persons with disabilities can vote independently and in secret. Ivanović encouraged the Association for the Blind to work directly with municipal election commissions to jointly identify polling stations that could be made accessible.

Marina Vujačić, Executive Director of the Association of Youth with Disabilities, expressed hope that through workshops like this, persons with disabilities can freely and independently exercise their right to vote and also actively participate in political life.  

Lia Magnaguagno, the Mission’s Democratization Programme Manager said: “The right to vote independently, and in secret, is a cornerstone of every democracy.” The Mission supported the State Election Commission in developing a Strategy for Persons with Disabilities, as well as initiated consultations with municipal election commissions to ensure polling stations are accessible.

The OSCE Mission to Montenegro remains committed to promoting the rights of people with disabilities and strives to help remove barriers that hamper their full participation as voters and candidates.