Chairman-in-Office urges passing of election law in Bosnia and Herzegovina

BUCHAREST, 26 June 2001 (OSCE) - The OSCE Chairman-in-Office, Romanian Foreign Minister Mircea Geoana, deplores the most recent failure of the Bosnia and Herzegovina Parliament to adopt the Election Law, an essential piece of legislation for the country and an important requirement for its integration into European structures.

The OSCE Permanent Council has made it clear that the Organization will not organize or administer further elections in Bosnia and Herzegovina. The country's constitution mandates the holding of presidential elections in October 2002. There is no alternative to holding these elections under an Election Law passed by the Bosnia and Herzegovina authorities.

It is still possible to pass the Election Law, but there is no time to loose. The Chairman-in-Office encourages the political leaders and institutions in Bosnia and Herzegovina to work collectively for adopting this Election Law in the next few weeks. If presidential elections are to happen in October 2002, the machinery of the electoral system must be in place and functioning by September 2001. This will require passage of the Election Law at the earliest possible moment, and well in advance of September.

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For further information, please contact Josue Anselmo, OSCE Spokesperson, mobile (+43) 664 325 3698, or the Press and Public Information Section of the OSCE Secretariat, tel.: (+ 43-1) 514 36 180, or e-mail: info@osce.org