Croatian Party of BiH: CIK's discriminatory working material on delegate election is a criminal offense

BiH, (Patria) - The Croatian Party of Bosnia and Herzegovina has called on the competent institutions to investigate what they described as a scandalous case of a "working material" circulating within the Central Election Commission that has disturbed the public and to determine the eventual responsibility of individuals from the CIK.

"It is beyond any doubt that the preparation of a CIK BiH decision, which would, contrary to the provisions of Amendment 34 to the Constitution of the FBiH, deny the right and possibility of election of members of the constituent peoples from certain cantons to the House of Peoples of the FBiH Parliament, is already a criminal offense," stated the HS BiH.

The media published a document showing that one of the topics of the next CIK session, next week, will be the issue of electing delegates to the House of Peoples of the FBiH Parliament. According to the proposed materials, which are to be presented at the CIK session, there are also those according to which in the future composition of the House of Peoples of the FBiH Parliament, only Croats from Herzegovina would be represented, but not Croats from Sarajevo Canton, Bosniak-Podrinje Canton, and Tuzla Canton. From some cantons, such as Herzegovina-Neretva Canton or West Herzegovina Canton, there would be no Bosniak delegates in the House of Peoples of the FBiH Parliament. Political parties representing citizens have assessed such proposals as unacceptable because they lead to new ethnic divisions in Bosnia and Herzegovina. At the same time, it was assessed that such an election law would only benefit HDZ BiH, while discriminating against hundreds of Croats from Bosnia.

The Croatian Party of BiH states that the prepared decision in itself is a violation of the constitutional and legal order of the FBiH and represents a serious violation of the equality of man and citizen guaranteed by the Constitution of the FBiH and international conventions that are in force in BiH. HS BiH reminds that the public is disturbed and that a swift investigation by the competent authorities is necessary to dispel all doubts and determine responsibility.

"We ask why the Croatian members of the CIK, Vlado Rogić and Stjepan Mikić, are not speaking out, because this scandalous 'working material' threatens to violate the constitutional and human rights of Croats in BiH, and especially in some areas of our country," reacted the Croatian Party of BiH.