Acting Head of OSCE Mission to BiH hopeful elections in Mostar can still happen in 2014, encourages authorities to end deadlock

SARAJEVO, 3 July 2014 – The Acting Head of OSCE Mission to Bosnia and Herzegovina Nina Suomalainen today expressed her support for all the efforts aimed at enabling elections in the city of Mostar to be held in parallel with the general elections due in October 2014.

“We welcome all constructive proposals for finding an end to the deadlock in Mostar. The lack of properly functioning city institutions has been negatively influencing the lives of citizens for too long,” Suomalainen said. “People must regain their social rights, and there is still time to resolve this issue and enable them to vote in the autumn.”

Yesterday, on 2 July 2014, the Office of the High Representative (OHR) sent to the Parliamentary Assembly of BiH a draft suggestion for amendments which would allow holding elections in Mostar this year. The Parliamentary Assembly is responsible for implementing the changes to the Election Law, which must be done before the Statute of Mostar can be amended. This was stipulated in the 2010 Decision of the Constitutional Court of BiH.

“We encourage the Parliamentary Assembly of BiH to seriously consider the proposal,” Suomalainen said. “Agreement on necessary legislative changes can still be reached if all sides show flexibility and leadership.”