Serbians cast votes in four countries

37,171 !!!

That's a very, very small number compared to the amount of expatriates
living around the world. What's this?

Is it like we in Finland who didn't get a chance to vote due to sheer laziness and indifference of our embassy? This is neglecting our citizen rights.

Well in the Uk (which I think has quite a few serbs) you have to travel to the embassy in London to vote, which can be very expensive an inconvenient if you don't live in London. Most Serbs I know didn't bother to register, as they couldn't get there to vote.

It's about nothing else than unwillingness to do something that ought to be done. It's no big deal to let people to register themselves and select trustees to take care of ballots in biggest cities of the UK. Why the heck only in London? And these ballots could take place already in advance, two weeks prior to voting dates in Serbia, second round a week in advance. But here in Finland our embassy says "it's so difficult to arrange" and so on".

Well, man has landed on the Moon but Serbia can't get voting arranged for expats...

Small nation like Finns can vote in 60 countries, at 230 voting places. Finns arrange voting even at main foreign tourist resorts! And we have one place in the whole of UK! Non in Finland. Marvelous.

Seems that there are democracies and... kind of democracies.

Finns understand that the right of voting is a citizen right. And as citizens have obligations towards the state so has state towards citizens, and one of them is making it possible that citizens can cast their vote without complicated hassle. And that is a very good manner to keep today's expats connected to their origins. Many of us plan to return one day.

It's true that most expats don't bother to vote, but there are always those who wish and want, and so with good reasons.

Right of vote tells you that you have a role in the society. That why a foreigner can vote in local (municipal) elections in Finland as long as he/she is a resident of the municipality. You have a chance to make a difference in that society where you live. That is much better than keeping people in fridge.

That's called democracy.

Why complain? Hungarians living abroad CANNOT VOTE AT ALL. :(

Britain, also does not allow its citizens abroad to vote (unless they have a residence in the uk). But I have no problem with that as the UK does not put any obligations like tax or national service on its non resident citizens.

Serbia does put a national service obligation on its citizens, and if it is going to allow voting abroad it should do it properly, not this half way house which satisfies no one.

Ataman,

You are 99% right. I think only Hungarians, who have both residence in Hungary and a Hungarian "szemelyazonosagi igazolvany" or ID card can vote. It means few hundred people only.

Why complain? Hungarians living abroad CANNOT VOTE AT ALL. :(

Britain, also does not allow its citizens abroad to vote (unless they have a residence in the uk). But I have no problem with that as the UK does not put any obligations like tax or national service on its non resident citizens.

Serbia does put a national service obligation on its citizens, and if it is going to allow voting abroad it should do it properly, not this half way house which satisfies no one.

37,171 !!!

That's a very, very small number compared to the amount of expatriates
living around the world. What's this?

Is it like we in Finland who didn't get a chance to vote due to sheer laziness and indifference of our embassy? This is neglecting our citizen rights.

Well in the Uk (which I think has quite a few serbs) you have to travel to the embassy in London to vote, which can be very expensive an inconvenient if you don't live in London. Most Serbs I know didn't bother to register, as they couldn't get there to vote.

It's about nothing else than unwillingness to do something that ought to be done. It's no big deal to let people to register themselves and select trustees to take care of ballots in biggest cities of the UK. Why the heck only in London? And these ballots could take place already in advance, two weeks prior to voting dates in Serbia, second round a week in advance. But here in Finland our embassy says "it's so difficult to arrange" and so on".

Well, man has landed on the Moon but Serbia can't get voting arranged for expats...

Small nation like Finns can vote in 60 countries, at 230 voting places. Finns arrange voting even at main foreign tourist resorts! And we have one place in the whole of UK! Non in Finland. Marvelous.

Ataman,

You are 99% right. I think only Hungarians, who have both residence in Hungary and a Hungarian "szemelyazonosagi igazolvany" or ID card can vote. It means few hundred people only.

Seems that there are democracies and... kind of democracies.

Finns understand that the right of voting is a citizen right. And as citizens have obligations towards the state so has state towards citizens, and one of them is making it possible that citizens can cast their vote without complicated hassle. And that is a very good manner to keep today's expats connected to their origins. Many of us plan to return one day.

It's true that most expats don't bother to vote, but there are always those who wish and want, and so with good reasons.

Right of vote tells you that you have a role in the society. That why a foreigner can vote in local (municipal) elections in Finland as long as he/she is a resident of the municipality. You have a chance to make a difference in that society where you live. That is much better than keeping people in fridge.

That's called democracy.