Provisional Election Commission PEC adopts two-year mandates for general elections

SARAJEVO, 14 July 2000 - The Provisional Election Commission (PEC) has adopted today a decision, which sets the term of office for those elected in the November 11, 2000 General Elections to two years. This decision affects the elections for the members of the House of Representatives of the BiH Parliamentary Assembly, members of the BiH Federation House ofRepresentatives, the Republika Srpska President and Vice President, the members of the Republika Srpska National Assembly, and the members of cantonal assemblies.

This two-year term of office permits the holding of Municipal Elections and General Elections in a four-year cycle. According to this pattern, the next General Elections after 2002 would take place in 2006, while the next Municipal Elections will take place in 2004, 2008 etc. In addition, this term of mandate will permit changes to be made when the decision of the Constitutional Court on constitutionality of peoples is implemented in the Entity constitutions.

The Peace Implementation Council Steering Board has agreed in its session yesterday with a two-year mandate for the November elections. For more information please contact Alexander Nitzsche, OSCE Acting Spokesperson, at 033/292-153 or 066/144-321.