Newsroom
Provisional Election Commission adopts rule on Bosnia and Herzegovina Presidency succession
SARAJEVO 25 July 2000
SARAJEVO, 25 July 2000 - The Provisional Election Commission (PEC) adopted today an Amendment to the Rules and Regulations governing the Presidential Elections which regulates the replacement of one of the members of the Bosnia and Herzegovina Presidency in the event a member dies, resigns or is otherwise removed from Office.
Under the Constitution of Bosnia and Herzegovina, a vacancy in the Presidency shall be filled from the relevant Entity in accordance with a law to be adopted by the Parliamentary Assembly. In the absence of such a law, and after more than two years of negotiations, the Provisional Election Commission decided to fill this legal vacuum.
The new article 5.30 will cease to apply upon adoption by the Parliamentary Assembly of Bosnia and Herzegovina of a Law, which lives up to the Constitutional requirements. Article 5.30 provides that the successor to the tri-partite presidency will be nominated from amongst the members of the House of Representatives of Bosnia and Herzegovina who are of the same constituent people and were elected from the territory of the same Entity as the absent member of the Presidency. The candidate is to be elected by the members of the upcoming House of Representatives elected from the territory of the same Entity as the absent member of the Presidency and is to be confirmed by the majority of the members of the House of People belonging to the same constituent people as the nominee.
Bearing in mind the fact that the vacancy will be filled by a member of the upcoming House of Representative, the Provisional Election Commission deemed appropriate that Political Parties be informed of that new regulation prior to the submission of candidates lists, on August 4.
MEDIA CONTACT: For information, contact the Press and Public Information, OSCE Mission to Bosnia and Herzegovina, tel.: (+387-33) 292 172; fax: (+387-33) 292 289; website: www.oscebih.org; e-mail: press.ba@osce.org
Under the Constitution of Bosnia and Herzegovina, a vacancy in the Presidency shall be filled from the relevant Entity in accordance with a law to be adopted by the Parliamentary Assembly. In the absence of such a law, and after more than two years of negotiations, the Provisional Election Commission decided to fill this legal vacuum.
The new article 5.30 will cease to apply upon adoption by the Parliamentary Assembly of Bosnia and Herzegovina of a Law, which lives up to the Constitutional requirements. Article 5.30 provides that the successor to the tri-partite presidency will be nominated from amongst the members of the House of Representatives of Bosnia and Herzegovina who are of the same constituent people and were elected from the territory of the same Entity as the absent member of the Presidency. The candidate is to be elected by the members of the upcoming House of Representatives elected from the territory of the same Entity as the absent member of the Presidency and is to be confirmed by the majority of the members of the House of People belonging to the same constituent people as the nominee.
Bearing in mind the fact that the vacancy will be filled by a member of the upcoming House of Representative, the Provisional Election Commission deemed appropriate that Political Parties be informed of that new regulation prior to the submission of candidates lists, on August 4.
MEDIA CONTACT: For information, contact the Press and Public Information, OSCE Mission to Bosnia and Herzegovina, tel.: (+387-33) 292 172; fax: (+387-33) 292 289; website: www.oscebih.org; e-mail: press.ba@osce.org