Transparent ballot boxes to be used for the first time in elections

SARAJevo, (Patria) - Irena Hadžibadić, president of the Central Election Commission (CEC) of BiH, said at today's press conference that transparent ballot boxes will be used for the first time during the General Elections in BiH. With the help of the OSCE and the Embassies of the USA, Norway, and Great Britain, 10,000 ballot boxes and 60,000 special security seals have been purchased.

- Transparent ballot boxes increase trust in the electoral process. The existing ones are worn out, heavy, and very impractical for transport. We had to use them because there was not enough understanding in BiH institutions for the procurement of transparent ballot boxes - said Hadžiabdić.

Bruce Berton, Head of the OSCE Mission in BiH, said that effective democracy means that the public must have confidence in elections.

- Only by re-establishing that trust is it possible to have elections that are a true reflection of the will of the citizens - emphasized Ambassador Berton during the handover of the transparent ballot boxes. 

The US Ambassador to BiH, Maureen Cormack, said that the ballot boxes will allow citizens to have more confidence in the electoral process.

- This is an important year for BiH. The citizens of BiH deserve to have confidence in the electoral process that will reflect their true will. In this way, observers will be able to see that no ballot has been placed in the box before the polling station opens - said Cormack.

However, she points out that the ballot boxes are only semi-transparent, in order to ensure the privacy of each individual. 

- This is an important, but still only a small step in improving the electoral process. Long-term solutions require more comprehensive reforms, which include changes to legislation - concluded the ambassador.