Arnaut: HDZ has the right to boycott elections, but not to block them

SARAJEVO, (Patria) - Croatian parties have agreed on a position regarding amendments to the Election Law, and their stance is that, if these amendments are not made according to their principle, they will most likely boycott the elections.

Member of the Our Party in the House of Representatives of the Parliamentary Assembly of Bosnia and Herzegovina Damir Arnaut says it is a democratic right for them not to participate in the elections, if by that they mean what the opposition did in Serbia: "And the opposition in Serbia essentially saw how unproductive that was. If by that they mean they will undertake certain activities within the institutions of Bosnia and Herzegovina to stop the holding of elections as such, that is not only illegal, it is a pure anti-Dayton activity, and Christian Schmidt would really have his work cut out for him there.

In any case, as I see things now, from a legal but also a practical perspective, the Central Election Commission has an obligation to call elections no later than five months before they are held. Within 15 days after that, according to the law, it is necessary to secure the funds. In practical terms, the CEC has stated on several occasions that it intends to call elections within the legal deadline. They have also pointed out that, if the budget is not adopted by then, the possibility of holding elections is called into question." 

He reminds that in 2020 we had a similar situation when the elections were postponed. 

"If they do that, then it is truly necessary for the international community to secure the money for the elections. Billions and billions of the international community have been invested here, but a lot of it has gone through these corrupt activities. Five million euros, which is the cost of holding the elections, is an extremely small amount to allow us to become even more of a failed state, while the same people remain in power. All three parties, SDA, HDZ, SNSD would profit from that," concluded Arnaut.