CEC Fines Again, SDA Pays the Price, SDP Allowed to Pay in Installments

SARAJEVO, (Patria) - The Central Election Commission (CEC) of Bosnia and Herzegovina today made a decision to fine SDA 1,000 KM for paid political advertising before the official start of the election campaign, as SDA conducted public promotion through BH Telecom.

The CEC BiH made the decision after verifying the allegations from the report filed by SDP BiH.

- SDP filed a report that SDA conducted public promotion, paid public advertising through the telecom operator BH Telecom, and sent SMS messages asking voters in a Klix portal poll to vote for Bakir Izetbegović. It was determined that SDA paid for and sent SMS messages to several thousand voters – it was stated at today's session of the CEC.

When making the decision, it was also stated that conducting paid election campaigns through electronic and print media is prohibited.

The CEC BiH also decided on some other fines today.

It was decided that SDP will be allowed to pay a fine of 15,500 KM in ten equal installments, after the party submitted such a request.

SDP was fined in June this year for violating the provisions of the Law on Financing of Political Parties related to the use of financial resources, and the obligation to keep business books and submit financial reports. The fine followed an audit of the financial reports for 2019.

The Central Election Commission today also fined the party Alliance of Young Forces by denying them the right to run in the next elections. The reason for this is that the party did not submit additional documentation and did not allow CEC representatives access to its premises during the audit of financial reports for 2019. The authorized representative of this party is Vedad Jašarević.

At the same time, the CEC rejected the request of the Bosnian People's Party to have 18,000 KM returned, which they paid as a fee for certification to participate in the General Elections on October 2nd.