The Coalition for Free and Fair Elections “Pod Lupom” starts today its observation mission for the 2022 General Elections. The observation mission employs 100 long-term, citizens, and nonpartisan observers from over 85 civil society organizations across BiH, and more than 2000 observers are to be deployed on Election Day.
In the coming three months, long-term observers will observe the work of local election commissions and compliance with deadlines prescribed in the electoral events calendar. Further, observers will document and report election irregularities and fraud, observe election campaign, and train Election Day observers. Long-term observers will submit weekly reports of their activities, and according to the Coalition, all findings will be published as needed and reactions will be made targeting the competent institutions.
“We have ahead of us three months during which the Coalition will monitor the election process to eliminate election irregularities. Even before the beginning of its long-term observation mission, Pod Lupom registered several election irregularities falling under the election campaign category during a time when campaigning is prohibited. Thus, we call on all political subjects and candidates running for elections to respect election regulations, and we call on all institutions to cooperate in the coming period. We extend our invitation to BiH citizens to join our activities” – Pod Lupom says in its statement.
Elections are the fundamental and most important form of citizens’ participation in democratic societies, and independent election missions have a preventive, proactive, and informational role in the protection of the election process. Every election in BiH is for the most part conducted and controlled by up to 140 000 partisan individuals in the role of members of the polling station committees, and partisan observers, which underlines the importance of the presence of nonpartisan observers in elections. Nonpartisan observation of elections reinstates the trust of citizens in the election process and significantly contributes to the prevention of election irregularities.
“The goal of the Coalition Pod Lupom is free and fair elections and the protection of voters’ votes. We are not interested in election results; our only interest is that election results are the real reflection of the will of the voters, and we have been committed to this goal for the past eight years” – Pod Lupom adds in its statement.
The Coalition also reminds citizens that they can apply to be Election Day nonpartisan observers and that they can report all election irregularities to the Coalition via a toll-free number at 080 05 05 05 or through online forms at www.podlupom.org.
