Podgorica, (MINA) – The majority of Montenegrin citizens, 65 percent, believe that elections in Montenegro are completely or partially free, which represents an increase in public trust compared to the 2023 survey, when 58 percent of respondents shared the same opinion, according to a survey conducted by the OSCE Mission in Podgorica.

The “Public Trust in Elections in Montenegro” survey was conducted by the OSCE Mission to Montenegro and the Damar Institute on a sample of 1,200 respondents from November 24 to December 7 last year.

According to the survey results, almost 43 percent of respondents believe that Montenegro should continue with the reform of the electoral legislation, while 22 percent express distrust in the vote-counting procedure, which highlights the need for further efforts to strengthen public trust.

The OSCE Mission stated that the survey findings indicate generally positive perceptions of the voting process, with 51 percent of citizens believing that the voting procedures are simple, while more than one-third believe them partially simple.

The OSCE Mission said that around 42 percent of respondents believe that the voter registry contains accurate data, representing a slight improvement compared to 2023, when only 31 percent shared that opinion.

“The survey results show that confidence in the elections is gradually strengthening, but they also emphasize the importance of continuing reforms and public dialogue”, said Jan Haukaas, Head of the OSCE Mission to Montenegro.