US and European Union welcome progress towards forming the House of Peoples of FBiH

SARAJEVO, (Patria) - The Embassy of the United States of America and the Delegation of the European Union/EUSR in Bosnia and Herzegovina (BiH) have taken note of the Central Election Commission's (CEC) decision on filling the House of Peoples of the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina (FBiH), adopted today, it was announced from the Embassy and the EU Delegation.

The statement emphasizes: "We commend the CEC for taking steps that will enable the formation of the government of the Federation and call on all relevant actors to take the necessary steps in that direction. The decision adopted by the CEC does not absolve the competent authorities of the obligation to systematically address the current shortcomings in the Election Law of BiH. In this context, we encourage parties to intensify their work on finding compromise solutions that will bring the country closer to, not further from, European standards and democratic norms that ensure equality for all in Bosnia and Herzegovina."

"The United States and the European Union have attempted to support dialogue between political parties over the past 18 months in an effort to address shortcomings in the Election Law of BiH. Due to a lack of political will for compromise, parties have failed to reach an agreement on a legal solution. In the absence of a legal solution, the CEC not only has the authority but also the responsibility to implement the election results. Experts from the Venice Commission clearly emphasized this in discussions with political parties and the CEC during their visits to Sarajevo last summer and autumn."

The statement concludes that disagreements with the CEC's decision should be resolved through available legal remedies, and the process of forming the government should not be held hostage.