Zvizdić on BiH Constitutional Court decision: Two electoral systems cannot exist in one country, we remain vigilant

(Patria) - The Constitutional Court of Bosnia and Herzegovina held an extraordinary plenary session today, during which it adopted the proposal for a temporary measure in case number U-12/24, filed in the request of Denis Zvizdić, First Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives of the Parliamentary Assembly of Bosnia and Herzegovina, for an assessment of the constitutionality of the Election Law of Republika Srpska.

Zvizdić stated that "things are completely clear, but we will remain vigilant".

“The essence of the decision is that two electoral systems cannot exist in one country,” Zvizdić announced to the media, further explaining that courts issue temporary measures in situations where there is no time to wait, as irreparable damage could otherwise occur.

He reminded that the Constitutional Court expressed serious doubts that the Election Law of RS would violate the constitutional order and political stability, and create irreparable damage to democracy.

“Things are completely clear here. Their intention was to completely take over the competencies of the Central Election Commission and to transfer all segments of the election law from the level of Bosnia and Herzegovina to the level of the RS entity. The goal is for the ruling coalition, which fears transparency, to continue to control everything and retain political power. The goal was elections – not according to the will of the voters – but according to the will of the counters. Such a thing will not pass, not only regarding the election law, but any unconstitutional act or activity. They will not pass now, nor in the future. We will be vigilant until the end,” Zvizdić emphasized.

He said he expects "grand, heroic, nationalist statements" to follow again, but that there will be no additional activities from the authorities in RS regarding concrete measures that would carry consequences because "they lack the courage.”

Let us recall, with the aforementioned decision, the Constitutional Court temporarily suspended the legal force of the Election Law of Republika Srpska from the date of its entry into force, July 17, 2024, applying the principle ab initio, until the final decision of the Constitutional Court on the request for an assessment of constitutionality.

In explaining its decision, the Constitutional Court assessed that it is evident that the circumstances of this case raise very serious and complex issues of constitutionality of the disputed Election Law of RS.