Financing of Repeat Elections in Doboj and Srebrenica

(Patria) - Regarding the statement by the Chairman of the Council of Ministers of BiH that it is “quite certain that the financial resources for holding elections in Doboj and Srebrenica have been secured”, and his call to the Central Election Commission of BiH to officially request confirmation from the Ministry of Finance and Treasury of BiH, and to “stop creating a sense of uncertainty among the citizens of these local communities”, we wish to point out the following:

The Central Election Commission of BiH adopted on 02.02.2021 a Decision on calling and holding repeat elections for the Mayor of Srebrenica Municipality and the Srebrenica Municipal Assembly, and a Decision on calling and holding repeat elections for the Mayor of Doboj City and the Doboj City Assembly, which will be held on Sunday, 21 February 2021.

The local communities, i.e., Doboj City and Srebrenica Municipality, have informed the Central Election Commission of BiH that they have secured the necessary financial resources, which they are obliged to provide in accordance with the provisions of Article 1.2a, paragraph (3) of the Election Law of Bosnia and Herzegovina, and in this regard, the Chairman of the Council of Ministers of BiH correctly informed the public in Bosnia and Herzegovina.

On the other hand, for the preparation of the repeat elections, financial resources in the amount of 140,000.00 KM are urgently needed, which are provided from the Budget of the Institutions and International Obligations of Bosnia and Herzegovina, so that the Central Election Commission of BiH can timely carry out activities within its competence. The Proposal for a Decision on approving funds from the current reserve of the Budget of the Institutions of Bosnia and Herzegovina and International Obligations of Bosnia and Herzegovina for the Central Election Commission of BiH, with an explanation, as well as the prescribed accompanying documentation, were submitted to the Ministry of Finance and Treasury of BiH on 28.01.2021, and an urgent request was made on 02.02.2021.

The Ministry of Finance and Treasury of BiH has not yet responded to the aforementioned acts of the Central Election Commission of BiH. The Office for Legislation of the Council of Ministers of BiH submitted on 29.01.2021 an opinion to the Central Election Commission of BiH that, given that the Report on conducted consultations in accordance with Article 7 of the Rules for Consultations in the Drafting of Legal Regulations (“Official Gazette of BiH” No. 5/17) has not been submitted, the Commission of BiH is advised to, if it assesses that the regulation is urgent, invoke the provisions of Article 24, paragraph (1), point a) of the aforementioned Rules for Consultations. In this regard, the Central Election Commission of BiH assessed that the regulation is urgent and that the conditions in accordance with Article 24, paragraph (1), point a) of the said Rules are met, and in accordance with paragraph (2) of the same article, proposed to the Council of Ministers of BiH an exemption from the obligation to conduct consultations.

The Central Election Commission of BiH informed the Chairman of the Council of Ministers of BiH and the Ministry of Finance and Treasury of BiH about this today, thereby urging once again that the Ministry of Finance and Treasury of BiH submit an opinion and a signed copy of Form 2.a on the fiscal impact assessment by the Minister of Finance and Treasury, so that the Council of Ministers of BiH can adopt the proposed decision on approving funds from the current reserve. The Central Election Commission of BiH also informed the EU Delegation to BiH, the Office of the High Representative (OHR), the OSCE Mission to BiH, and the Peace Implementation Council in BiH about the above.

In this regard, we emphasize that it is necessary for the financial resources from the Budget of the Institutions and International Obligations of BiH for ensuring the exercise of the powers of the Central Election Commission of BiH to be transferred to the Central Election Commission of BiH no later than Tuesday, 09.02.2021, otherwise the Central Election Commission of BiH will be forced to postpone the holding of elections and make a decision on the date only after the necessary funds are secured, the CEC announced.