Members of the BiH Presidency Used Official Cars in the Election Campaign

Seven non-governmental organizations from across BiH founded the Coalition for Free and Fair Elections - Under the Magnifying Glass in May 2014, with the aim of organizing and conducting civic, non-partisan observation of the 2014 General Elections in BiH. These organizations are: Centers for Civic Initiatives (CCI), Center for Civic Cooperation (CGS) Livno, Citizens' Association DON Prijedor, Forum of Citizens of Tuzla, Perpetuum Mobile Banja Luka, Infohouse, and the Youth Information Agency (OIA) Sarajevo. Today, a report on observations from July 1 to October 9, 2014, was presented.

The Bosnian news agency Patria reports a portion concerning the election campaign.

Approximately one hundred reports were received from citizens, mostly anonymous. These reports can be grouped into irregularities concerning illegal poster placement; abuse of public resources for campaign purposes; bribery of voters in the form of distributing various types of food packages; pressure on voters to vote for a specific political party, etc.

The phenomena and violations of electoral rules listed here represent observed trends, not a summary of all irregularities that occurred during the pre-election period.

Regarding the period before the official start of the campaign, the Coalition recorded a significant number of cases that can be characterized as paid advertising, relating to the organization of various events by political entities, such as stands, forums, thematic discussions, etc. A high level of engagement by political entities in paid advertising through social networks and the distribution of propaganda material to citizens was recorded. It can be concluded that political entities skillfully exploit the loose provisions of the Election Law regulating the conduct of the pre-election campaign before its official start.

The election campaign is characterized by various types of pre-election rallies across BiH. Larger political parties generally organize events outdoors or in sports halls and other venues with larger capacity, while smaller political parties organize forums and meetings with smaller groups of voters. In rural areas, all political parties resort to classic forums in local community centers and cultural halls. Rhetoric at public events is predominantly focused on criticizing opponents rather than promoting their own programs and ideas. There is a lack of candidate debates through public events on the ground, except for a small number organized by certain international and domestic non-governmental organizations.

Observers of the Coalition recorded the use of official cars for the purposes of the pre-election campaign by a large number of elected officials currently holding high positions in government, including members of the BiH Presidency, entity presidents and entity prime ministers, members of cantonal governments and municipal government structures, and there are even cases of using vehicles of public companies in which political parties have their own leaders.

In the area of the Hadžići municipality, several reports from citizens were registered regarding the distribution of aid packages to the population, which, in addition to basic food items, also contained promotional leaflets of the SDA. Also, photographs of packages of basic food items containing promotional markings of the SBB appeared on social networks. Similar activity, this time involving the distribution of roof tiles and construction material, was recorded in part of the Gračanica municipality by the SDP to its supporters, which also sparked local protests by citizens who were affected by the recent floods.

Observers do not record a large number of cases of hate speech at public events. Isolated examples were recorded, such as the pre-election rally of the PDP in Trebinje where inappropriate and insulting shouts from those present were heard against the SNSD-DNS-SP candidate Željka Cvijanović for member of the BiH Presidency. As the campaign enters its final phase, the degree of use of inappropriate language and inappropriate verbal communication by election candidates increases. An outburst by the SDP candidate for the Parliamentary Assembly of BiH, Hamdija Lipovača, was also recorded, who from a pre-election rally sent inappropriate messages regarding certain residents of Velika Kladuša. A Coalition observer also recorded an inappropriate outburst by the SDS candidate for the Parliamentary Assembly of BiH, Darko Babalj, at a pre-election rally in East Novo Sarajevo, who called the SNSD-DNS-SP candidate for President of the RS, Milorad Dodik, derogatory names.

One of the most common irregularities in the pre-election campaign, practiced by a large number of political parties, is poster placement on unauthorized surfaces, most often trees, light poles, bus stops, electrical transformers, and even school buildings. At the same time, observers registered isolated cases of destruction, and even burning, of billboards of certain political parties.