Provisional Election Commission removes mandates of five elected Bosnian councilors for violation of PEC Rule 7.16

SARAJEVO, 23 June 2000 - The Provisional Election Commission (PEC) has removed the mandates of five councilors elected in the April 2000 Municipal Elections because they have been found to be in violation of rule 7.16 on illegal occupancy.

These councilors are the following:

• Salih Hadzic from the Social Democratic Party (SDP), municipal council Prozor/Prozor Rama;
• Jasmin Devedzic from the Party of Democratic Action (SDA), municipal council Maglaj;
• Ismet Mustabasic from the Party of Democratic Action (SDA), municipal council Maglaj;
• Fuad Bajric from the Party of Democratic Action (SDA), municipal council Maglaj, and
• Veljko Miladinovic from the Serb Democratic Party (SDS), municipal council Srpsko Gorazde.

The PEC will award the mandates of these former councilors to the next qualified candidates on the list of their respective parties.

The OSCE Mission to Bosnia and Herzegovina will continue to check the status councilors' compliance with the PEC rule 7.16 on illegal occupancy. All elected councilors will continue to be subject to this rule and could be removed from office if found no to be in compliance.

For more information please contact Alexander Nitzsche, OSCE Deputy Spokesperson, at 033/292-153 or 066/144-321.