OSCE/ODIHR final report on Bosnia and Herzegovina’s general elections recommends amending legislation on voting and candidacy rights

Although noting that Bosnia and Herzegovina’s 12 October 2014 general elections were held in an environment with respect for fundamental freedoms, the final report by the OSCE Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights (ODIHR) recommends the review of limitations on the rights of individuals to vote and to run as candidates.

The report, published on 7 January 2015, notes that the elections were efficiently administered and held in a competitive environment. Candidates were able to campaign freely and fundamental freedoms of expression, association and assembly were respected. It notes, however, that the number of votes required for a candidate to be elected varies significantly from constituency to constituency, and recommends a review of constituency boundaries to uphold the principle of equality of the vote.

While the mission found that the legal framework is generally sufficient for the conduct of democratic elections and includes some positive changes, a lack of political will to move beyond the Dayton Agreement, signed in 1995 to bring an end to the War in Bosnia and Herzegovina, means that important and long-standing shortcomings remain. Introducing amendments to remove ethnicity- and residency-based restrictions on the right to vote and stand as a candidate are among the final report’s main recommendations.

The report recommends a review of legal provisions for the allocation of polling staff, to address the risk of political imbalance in polling stations. It further recommends that the right to file a complaint be provided to everyone at all stages of the electoral process and that complaints be reviewed in public sessions.

To increase transparency and public confidence, the report recommends that all meetings of the Central Election Commission be made open to the public. It also notes that campaign finance regulations should be reviewed to enhance transparency and accountability.

In noting concerns about pressure on the media and partisan editorial policies, the report recommends the upholding of media freedom strictly and that the public broadcaster provide impartial and balanced coverage to all parties and candidates.

Additional recommendations relate to making efforts to ensure participation of internally displaced persons, improving voter education, and enhancing the transparency of the tabulation and announcement of election results.

For election day observation, ODIHR joined efforts with delegations from the OSCE Parliamentary Assembly and the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe.