Improving the investigation and prosecution of election-related criminal acts in focus of OSCE workshops

SARAJEVO, 27 September 2022 – A series of workshops on the effective investigation and prosecution of criminal acts threatening the integrity of elections concluded today in Mostar.

These OSCE-organized workshops provided a valuable platform for exchange of experiences on prosecution practices between Central Election Commission of Bosnia and Herzegovina (BiH CEC) officials, over 70 prosecutors and over 80 representatives of law enforcement agencies from across BiH. The ensuing discussions yielded recommendations on how to improve the investigation and prosecution of election fraud cases.

“Trust in elections is a cornerstone of democracy, yet in the current system, there is too much space for mistakes, irregularities and abuse. As a result, there is broad public distrust in the electoral process, both in the run up to and after the elections,” said Dr. Susan Penksa, Acting Head of the OSCE Mission to BiH. “Trust cannot be regained without accountability, whether for political subjects, election administration bodies, or the judiciary. Looking ahead to the upcoming elections and beyond, BiH will need the strong commitment and resolute determination of judiciary and law enforcement agencies to prevent and prosecute different types of election fraud,” she added.

“The Central Election Commission of Bosnia and Herzegovina is permanently committed to preventing all abuses related to the election process. In order to achieve better inter-institutional co-operation, it is necessary to organize as many joint workshops, conferences and meetings as possible and exchange experiences and data, as well as to share information that can be used for the prevention of criminal acts in the electoral process”, said Suad Arnautović, President of the BiH CEC.

"The public's perception is that the electoral process is not legal, regular and fair and that it is marked by electoral fraud. The prosecution and police agencies are obliged to contribute to the regularity and fairness of the electoral process by ensuring that those who commit electoral fraud will be detected, prosecuted and convicted. Good results in this area will strengthen citizens' trust in the election process, and at the same time strengthen the public reputation of prosecutor's offices and police agencies”, said Zekerija Mujkanović, the Brčko District Chief Prosecutor.  

The OSCE Mission to BiH will continue to support the BiH CEC to implement improvements in the administration of elections with the aim of increasing their integrity and transparency, ultimately restoring the trust of citizens in the process.