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Decision on complaint by Bosnia and Herzegovina political party
SARAJEVO 19 November 2000
SARAJEVO, 19 November 2000 - On November 18, 2000 the Elections Appeals Sub-Commission (EASC) issued a decision in response to a complaint filed by the Croatian Democratic Union (HDZ). The complaint alleged that there were irregularities at the Counting Center in the counting of absentee votes in Cantons 3, 4, 6, and 7. The HDZ requested that the EASC order that the counting process be halted until these allegations could be investigated.
The complaint was based on a comparison of the final absentee percentages for these cantons from the 1998 general election with the partial absentee percentages in the 2000 general election. The EASC investigation determined that while there was a decrease in the percentage of absentee ballots cast in these cantons between the 1998 and 2000 general elections, it was not in a position to characterize the decrease as "disproportionate".
The EASC stressed that comparison of final 1998 general election percentages with partial 2000 general election percentages was not an accurate comparison. The EASC also reviewed the Counting Centers methods for collecting, registering, counting and verifying absentee ballots and found no evidence of irregularities. The EASC therefore declined to order that the counting process be halted and dismissed the complaint.
For more information please contact OSCE Spokesperson Luke Zahner at ++ 387 (0) 33 292-449 or at ++ 387 (0) 66 144-311.
" The Election Appeals Sub-Commission (EASC) was established by the Provisional Election Commission (PEC) in May of 1996. The EASC's mandate is to investigate and to adjudicate complaints involving violations of the PEC Rules and Regulations and other electoral provisions. As an independent juridical body, the EASC has the authority to receive complaints regarding the electoral process and to determine whether there has been a violation of either the PEC Rules or Regulations or the election provisions in the General Framework Agreement for Peace (GFAP, or the Dayton Peace Accords). The EASC is granted plenary power to gather evidence. In addition, the EASC has the authority to sanction parties and candidates for violations of the PEC Rules and Regulations. The EASC has a range of sanctioning power, including, among other things, levying fines, removing candidates from a candidates list, removing an individual candidate from the ballot, prohibiting a political party or coalition from running in an election, decertifying a political party or coalition already listed on the ballot, and removing elected officials from office. The EASC retains discretionary power to determine appropriate penalties for actions that are intended to disrupt the electoral process. The EASC also has the authority to apply to the PEC for modifications of the PEC Rules and Regulations; however, no decision by the PEC shall have a retroactive impact upon the decisions of the EASC." The decisions of the EASC are final and binding and cannot be appealed.
The complaint was based on a comparison of the final absentee percentages for these cantons from the 1998 general election with the partial absentee percentages in the 2000 general election. The EASC investigation determined that while there was a decrease in the percentage of absentee ballots cast in these cantons between the 1998 and 2000 general elections, it was not in a position to characterize the decrease as "disproportionate".
The EASC stressed that comparison of final 1998 general election percentages with partial 2000 general election percentages was not an accurate comparison. The EASC also reviewed the Counting Centers methods for collecting, registering, counting and verifying absentee ballots and found no evidence of irregularities. The EASC therefore declined to order that the counting process be halted and dismissed the complaint.
For more information please contact OSCE Spokesperson Luke Zahner at ++ 387 (0) 33 292-449 or at ++ 387 (0) 66 144-311.
" The Election Appeals Sub-Commission (EASC) was established by the Provisional Election Commission (PEC) in May of 1996. The EASC's mandate is to investigate and to adjudicate complaints involving violations of the PEC Rules and Regulations and other electoral provisions. As an independent juridical body, the EASC has the authority to receive complaints regarding the electoral process and to determine whether there has been a violation of either the PEC Rules or Regulations or the election provisions in the General Framework Agreement for Peace (GFAP, or the Dayton Peace Accords). The EASC is granted plenary power to gather evidence. In addition, the EASC has the authority to sanction parties and candidates for violations of the PEC Rules and Regulations. The EASC has a range of sanctioning power, including, among other things, levying fines, removing candidates from a candidates list, removing an individual candidate from the ballot, prohibiting a political party or coalition from running in an election, decertifying a political party or coalition already listed on the ballot, and removing elected officials from office. The EASC retains discretionary power to determine appropriate penalties for actions that are intended to disrupt the electoral process. The EASC also has the authority to apply to the PEC for modifications of the PEC Rules and Regulations; however, no decision by the PEC shall have a retroactive impact upon the decisions of the EASC." The decisions of the EASC are final and binding and cannot be appealed.