Foreign officials expect agreement on Election Law by year's end, what is on the table is known

SARAJEVO, (Patria) - Meetings of local officials with the United States Special Envoy for Electoral Reform Matthew Palmer and the Director at the European External Action Service Angelina Eichhorst, as well as negotiations on amendments to the Election Law and the Constitution of Bosnia and Herzegovina, will continue in Sarajevo today, for the fourth consecutive day.

Guests on Al Jazeera were the U.S. Special Envoy for amendments to the Election Law of Bosnia and Herzegovina, Matthew Palmer, and the Director at the European External Action Service, Angelina Eichhorst.

Eichhorst says it is “still too early for an agreement,” but that work is actively underway. She welcomes the idea of a civil citizens' assembly and says that many issues in Bosnia and Herzegovina can be resolved in this way.

She emphasizes that work on electoral reform has been ongoing for a long time, not just two months ago “when other things started happening.”

She says that Bosnia and Herzegovina must resolve open issues because “all European Union member states claim that Bosnia and Herzegovina will become a member” of the Union.

She also stresses the importance of implementing the rulings of the European Court of Human Rights.

“We insist that all rulings of the European Court of Human Rights be implemented. Bosnia and Herzegovina will have a meeting in January at the Council of Europe, where representatives will have to explain why those rulings have not yet been implemented.”

Palmer reminds that an agreement on electoral reform is expected by the end of 2021 and that “the parties know what is on the table and need to approach the work seriously.”

He emphasizes that Bosnia and Herzegovina has America's full attention.

“Bosnia and Herzegovina has our full attention, and many American officials have come to Bosnia and Herzegovina. We are engaged and working on many challenges facing Bosnia and Herzegovina.

At the same time, we are confident that this is an opportunity to address electoral reform and limited, targeted amendments to the Constitution [of Bosnia and Herzegovina].

These reforms would strengthen the institutional framework of Bosnia and Herzegovina, and the elections in the fall [of 2021] would be more transparent and accountable, and the citizens of Bosnia and Herzegovina would be confident that their vote counts and will be reflected in the institutions of Bosnia and Herzegovina,” Palmer said.

(Vijesti.ba)