Bosnian Authorities: Schmidt Will Impose Technical Amendments to Election Law, Unless We Adopt Them Ourselves

Christian Schmidt (BETAPHOTO/MILOS MISKOV/MO)

The foreign minister of Bosnia and Herzegovina, Elmedin Konakovic, stated on Jan. 24 that it was clear that high representative Christian Schmidt would impose the technical amendments to the Election Act of Bosnia and Herzegovina, unless domestic political leaders reach an agreement among themselves about the election reforms that pertain to the integrity of the election process.

“The technical amendments are mandatory and it is evident that, unless the political leaders agree, Christian Schmidt would intervene,” Konakovic told reporters in Sarajevo. He said that constitutional amendments were necessary for changing the way of electing the members of the Presidency of Bosnia and Herzegovina and for implementing the verdicts of the European Court of Human Rights regarding the removal of ethnic discrimination.

In his words, the amendments to the Election Act are not an ultimatum set before Bosnia by the European Commission. Instead, several other laws are in question, which have “no ethnic and political position.” Konakovic believes that Bosnia was “on the verge of a historical breakthrough” on the European path and that “a little more is needed” for the country to have the accession negotiations opened in March.