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Citizens urged to check candidate lists in Bosnia and Herzegovina
SARAJEVO 31 August 2000
SARAJEVO, 31 August 2000 - As part of its effort to enforce Rule 108 of the Provisional Election Commission Rules and Regulations governing the November 2000 general elections in Bosnia and Herzegovina, the OSCE is launching a campaign to urge citizens of BiH to visit their nearest OSCE regional center or field office to check the candidates list for people who are illegal occupants.
The objective of the Rule 108 campaign is to inform the public about the complaints process so that the public can review the candidates lists and determine whether or not a candidate is living in a refugee's or displaced person's home. Provisional candidates lists have been distributed to all OSCE regional centers and field offices throughout the country.
Voters are encouraged to check the candidates list. Should a voter or interested party find a candidate on the list for the November 2000´elections who is in violation of Rule 108, they are encouraged to file a complaint with the OSCE Human Rights Officer in the field. An investigation will then be conducted, and if the complaint can be corroborated the information will be forwarded to the PEC for action. The penalty for violating Rule 108 is removal from the candidates list without the possibility of replacement.
The complaints process will be advertised through newspapers, a radio advertisement, and billboards. The newspaper advertisements will run twice, first on August 25th and second time on September 27th. The billboards will be posted on September 1st to 30th. There will be 80 billboard placed throughout the country. The billboards will feature the message, "Is there a politician living in your home?"
The OSCE established its present Mission to Bosnia and Herzegovina on 18 December 1995. In accordance with the General Framework Agreement for Peace (GFAP), the OSCE Mission activities are to: promote Democratization and the building of a vibrant civil society, foster the development of professional journalism and monitor the rights of journalists, monitor and advance the Human Rights situation, supervise the conduct of Elections, and encourage Regional Stabilization through arms control and confidence and security-building measures. The OSCE Mission continues to work closely with other international organizations and local institutions to implement the Dayton Peace Accords.
For more information please call OSCE Spokesperson Luke Zahner at 033/292-222 or 066/144-311.
The objective of the Rule 108 campaign is to inform the public about the complaints process so that the public can review the candidates lists and determine whether or not a candidate is living in a refugee's or displaced person's home. Provisional candidates lists have been distributed to all OSCE regional centers and field offices throughout the country.
Voters are encouraged to check the candidates list. Should a voter or interested party find a candidate on the list for the November 2000´elections who is in violation of Rule 108, they are encouraged to file a complaint with the OSCE Human Rights Officer in the field. An investigation will then be conducted, and if the complaint can be corroborated the information will be forwarded to the PEC for action. The penalty for violating Rule 108 is removal from the candidates list without the possibility of replacement.
The complaints process will be advertised through newspapers, a radio advertisement, and billboards. The newspaper advertisements will run twice, first on August 25th and second time on September 27th. The billboards will be posted on September 1st to 30th. There will be 80 billboard placed throughout the country. The billboards will feature the message, "Is there a politician living in your home?"
The OSCE established its present Mission to Bosnia and Herzegovina on 18 December 1995. In accordance with the General Framework Agreement for Peace (GFAP), the OSCE Mission activities are to: promote Democratization and the building of a vibrant civil society, foster the development of professional journalism and monitor the rights of journalists, monitor and advance the Human Rights situation, supervise the conduct of Elections, and encourage Regional Stabilization through arms control and confidence and security-building measures. The OSCE Mission continues to work closely with other international organizations and local institutions to implement the Dayton Peace Accords.
For more information please call OSCE Spokesperson Luke Zahner at 033/292-222 or 066/144-311.