SNSD fined for child exploitation, US for premature campaign, Strength of the People asked to supplement statement on music video

(Patria) - The Central Election Commission of Bosnia and Herzegovina at today's session considered reports on violations of the Election Law of BiH in the context of premature election campaigns, misuse of public funds and exploitation of children for political purposes.

The political party United Srpska was fined 3,000 KM for premature campaigning because their member Slavka Brezo published posters promoting free Pap smears for women, which also featured the logo of the US party.

In addition to the fine for United Srpska, it was ordered that Brezo remove the disputed post from Facebook dated June 6, and the report was submitted by Transparency International.

The same organization also reported the Mayor of the Municipality of East Novo Sarajevo, Jovan Katić from SNSD, for misuse of public funds to finance pensioners' spa and climate treatment, costs for multiple sclerosis patients, and for paying for children's driving tests.

During the verification process, the municipality was asked to provide a statement as well as budget extracts and whether these funds were intended for those activities.

"In the response we received, they state that funds are planned every year, and the service considers that the funds were spent in accordance with the budget intention and that these are regular activities of the municipal administration, and the procedure is discontinued.

Also, the CEC did not establish that there was any misuse of funds by the Mayor of Sarajevo, Benjamina Karić, because the projects financed by the City of Sarajevo were already planned in the budget and public calls were announced.

The CEC also ex officio checked the expenditure of funds by the Mayor of Banovići, Bege Gutić, who paid for the organization of the prom for the Secondary School Center in Banovići.

"The mayor acted in accordance with the budget. In the post about the prom, neither the mayor nor the party he belongs to is mentioned anywhere. Considering the presented evidence, the CEC decides to discontinue the procedure," stated the CEC.

Today, the CEC considered a report on violations of the provisions of Article 7.3, paragraph (1), point 8) of the Election Law of Bosnia and Herzegovina by the political party Alliance of Independent Social Democrats – SNSD – Milorad Dodik, which relates to the exploitation of children for political purposes.

Namely, the PDP submitted a complaint against SNSD for misusing public resources and children for political purposes.
At a performance that was free for children in the audience, in the front row were Nikola Šobot and Ljubo Ninković.

"We established that SNSD stated in its posts that the performance was held and that 'we spent quality time with our fellow citizens,' and it was about Bronzani Majdan. The audience was addressed by Nikola Šobot, who is a supporter of SNSD. Considering all the above, we believe that SNSD exploited children at the performance, and it is proposed that the CEC decide to fine SNSD 4,500 KM," reads the decision.

CEC member Vanja Bjelica, in a telephone connection to the CEC session, requested a check for the existence of hate speech in a video broadcast by the political party Strength of the People, and as she was told, requests for a supplementary statement from Strength of the People have already been sent.