Aleksandar Vučić’s election list accounted for nearly 87 percent of Serbia’s television campaign advertising, with an estimated value of €10.8 million, according to a new report by Transparency Serbia. The findings reveal a significant financial imbalance in the campaign that ended with the ruling party’s electoral defeat.
The anti-corruption organization presented its findings on October 29, four days after Serbia’s parliamentary election.
Its monitoring covered television advertising during the campaign between September 17 and October 22.
The report examined political advertisements across 22 television stations and found that Vučić’s “United Serbia” list dominated spending.
Vučić’s Coalition Accounted for Nearly 87 Percent of TV Advertising
Transparency Serbia estimated the total market value of television advertising by participating electoral lists at approximately €12.48 million.
Of that amount, €10.8 million went toward promoting the “Aleksandar Vučić – United Serbia” list.
The Student List, which defeated Vučić’s coalition in the October 25 election, accounted for approximately €496,000, or four percent.
Only five of the 18 electoral lists advertised on the television stations monitored by the organization.
Transparency Serbia calculated the figures using broadcasters’ published advertising rates and discounts.
The organization emphasized that these estimates represent market values, not necessarily the amounts parties actually paid.
When researchers included paid television programming slots, the estimated value of Vučić’s coalition’s promotion rose to €17.3 million.
That represented approximately 89 percent of the combined value of television advertising and paid programming covered by the expanded calculation.
Transparency Serbia also raised concerns about paid political programming formats that Serbian law does not permit.
Election Results Renew Scrutiny of Serbia’s Media Landscape
The findings come as Serbia prepares for a political transition following the Student List’s election victory.
The student-led movement emerged from nationwide protests over corruption and government accountability.
Media coverage became a major issue during the campaign.
Election-monitoring organization CRTA separately reported that the governing coalition dominated political advertising on national television.
Its preliminary assessment found that the “United Serbia” list accounted for approximately 93 percent of advertising airtime on national broadcasters.
CRTA also documented a significant imbalance in political coverage.
The organization reported that government representatives received substantially more airtime than opposition figures during the campaign.
These findings have intensified questions about political influence over Serbia’s television industry and the fairness of election campaigning.
Transparency Serbia’s figures do not establish the final amount that parties spent. Official financial reports will be necessary to determine actual payments.
Nevertheless, the monitoring results show the scale of the advertising advantage enjoyed by Vučić’s coalition.
Despite that advantage, voters delivered a historic victory to the Student List, ending the Serbian Progressive Party’s long period of political dominance.
