US Embassy: The method of electing members of the BiH Presidency cannot be changed without amending the Constitution

(Patria) - The European Court of Human Rights (ECHR) has made several rulings ordering BiH political leaders to amend the Dayton Constitution, and the EU has emphasized that Bosnia and Herzegovina cannot join the European Union without doing so, the US Embassy in BiH announced.

"The most prominent of these rulings concerns the country's three-member Presidency. The US strongly supports the efforts of the country's political leaders to reach the compromises necessary to amend the BiH Constitution regarding the Presidency in a way that aligns it with the rulings of the European Court of Human Rights.

The European Court of Human Rights (ECHR) has issued several rulings directing local political leaders to amend the Dayton Constitution, and the EU has underscored that Bosnia and Herzegovina cannot join the EU without doing so. The most prominent of these rulings address the…

— US Embassy Sarajevo (@USEmbassySJJ) January 22, 2024

However, this cannot be achieved by amending the Election Law of BiH. Constitutional amendments are required.

International legal experts, including the Venice Commission, have been unequivocal on this issue during the European Union - US meeting in 2021-2022 and discussions on constitutional/electoral reform with political parties. This fundamental legal fact has not changed," the US Embassy stated.