Arnautović wrote to the Quint, OHR: We are enduring severe pressures, intimidation and threats from the ruling structures!

(Patria) - The President of the Central Election Commission of Bosnia and Herzegovina, Suad Arnautović, sent a letter to the OHR, the EU Delegation, the OSCE Mission, and the embassies of the Quint member states, pointing to continuous attacks by political parties on this institution.

"In recent years, severe pressures, intimidation, attacks and threats from the ruling structures, including dismissal and placing the CEC of BiH under political control, have begun," Arnautović states in his letter, as reported by Federalna.ba.

He then writes that attacks on the CEC have not ceased since, with efforts to place this state institution under firm political control, to implement political decisions rather than the law.

"The ruling coalition at the state level plans to submit amendments to the Election Law to the procedure, which would include the House of Peoples in the process of their appointment, and exclude from the Commission for Elections and Appointments, which proposes CEC members, the members appointed so far by the President of the CEC and the members of the Commission appointed under existing solutions by the President of the High Judicial and Prosecutorial Council," it is stated in Arnautović's letter.

He emphasizes and reminds that CEC members were appointed in accordance with the Law and that the issue of the legality of appointing CEC members has been resolved by court rulings in several cases.

He also pointed out that on May 17 this year, the mandate of one CEC member expired, but the commission for appointing a new member neither announced a competition nor ever met on this issue.

He stressed that this position, i.e., the person to be appointed, is a member from the ranks of Others, who, as of January 1, 2024, assumes the duty of President of the Central Election Commission, under whose leadership the Local Elections will be called in May 2024 and conducted in October.

"I ask that you take all necessary steps within your competence and role as an international factor and mediator to protect and preserve this institution from inappropriate political pressures and intimidation," Arnautović concluded in his letter.