CEC as a Political Switchman: SNSD Certification Under Suspicion, What Next and Who Will Answer for the Legal Chaos?

Written by: Amina Čorbo-Zećo

The Central Election Commission (CEC) of Bosnia and Herzegovina will soon forward to the Registration Court in Banja Luka a letter it received from the Court of Bosnia and Herzegovina, regarding the request to implement the legal consequences of the verdict against Milorad Dodik. The Court clearly stated that, according to the final verdict, Dodik cannot be the president of the SNSD.

However, the behavior of the CEC, an institution where doctors of legal sciences sit, raises serious questions. At the CEC session, six members voted to certify the SNSD application for early elections, even though Suad Arnautović warned that the application was signed by an unauthorized person. Arnautović proposed that the party be given an additional deadline for an authorized person to sign the application, but the proposal was rejected.

The worst part is that none of the CEC members will face consequences for this situation. The certification of the SNSD application signed by Dodik comes at a time when the Court of Bosnia and Herzegovina's verdict clearly stipulates that the accused cannot perform duties in bodies partially or fully financed from public funds, including political functions. Although Dodik authorized his son Igor to sign party documents, he himself signed the application, which further calls into question the legality of the process.

The question remains how CEC members Irena Hadžiabdić, Željko Bakalar, Vlado Rogić, Ahmet Šantić, and Vanja Prutina-Bjelica failed to properly interpret the decision of the Court of Bosnia and Herzegovina?

Or is this yet another example of the political instrumentalization of institutions in Bosnia and Herzegovina, where legal rules are subordinated to the interests of individuals? If so, this is also evidenced by the situation during the certification of parties for participation in the Local Elections, when the CEC rejected the SDS application, even though they had a valid account. Ultimately, the Constitutional Court of Bosnia and Herzegovina had to react and, with its interim measure, enable the SDS to participate in the elections. Is it a question of ignorance or something else, all CEC members who previously acted contrary should answer!?

Given that the verdict against Dodik became final on June 12, 2025, the legitimacy of the SNSD candidacy for early elections is now seriously questionable.

The CEC of Bosnia and Herzegovina, thanks to the CEC members, faces a key question - will it protect the law and justice, or will it continue to be a "switchman" for political interests?

For now, it is the latter!