Panel discussion “Safeguarding of the electoral rights in Bosnia and Herzegovina” held in Zenica
The Coalition for Free and Fair Elections “Pod lupom” organized a panel discussion titled “Safeguarding of the electoral rights in Bosnia and Herzegovina” in Zenica with a focus on the role of prosecutors’ offices and police agencies in the election process, and the role of CSOs and the media in detecting election irregularities.
One of the main points of the panel discussion was the importance of a proactive approach by prosecutor’s offices and police agencies in BiH in protecting the electoral process and processing electoral irregularities. The role played by all prosecutor’s offices and police agencies was discussed by following participants: Mrs. Olivera Rauković, Acting chief district public prosecutor of the District Public Prosecutor’s Office in Doboj, Mr. Zekerija Mujkanović, chief prosecutor of the Brčko District Prosecutor’s Office of BiH and Mr. Saša Lazić, deputy head of the Criminal Police Unit of the Brčko District Police of BiH.
When it comes to irregularities in the electoral process, there is a proverb saying that “the best repression is prevention”. If there irregularities of a criminal-legal nature, then the key is in the good cooperation of all those who participate in the discovery, prosecution and judgment of the perpetrators of these criminal acts. Determination, ability, timely collection of information through criminal intelligence and operational work, good cooperation with prosecutors’ offices, determined approach of the prosecutor’s office to process such matters, court decisions that will be made quickly will be the best answer and will send the best message to society when it comes to sanctioning election fraud. – said Mr. Zekerija Mujkanović, chief prosecutor of the Brčko District Prosecutor’s Office of BiH.
The Coalition “Pod lupom” pointed out that it is necessary to put an additional focus on sanctions for violation of election rules, which will have a strong deterrent effect from committing criminal acts.
Adequate sanctions can have an impact, not only on punishing those who violate the Electoral Law and implementing acts, but also preventively on other participants in the election process, starting with the election administration, i.e. on those unscrupulous and irresponsible members of Polling Station Committees as well as on those citizen voters who should not allow some political entities to buy their favor. I would like to add that the Amendments to the Electoral Law should also provide for sanctions for those political subjects who are proven, beyond any reasonable doubt, to have participated in the violation of the Electoral Law, electoral fraud, the banning of participation in the next elections. – said Vehid Šehić, president of the Strategic Committee of the Coalition “Pod lupom”.
The focus was also placed on the responsibility of the media and CSOs in the election process. The following participants spoke about the role of CSOs and the media in uncovering election irregularities: Mrs. Leila Bičakčić, director of the Center for Investigative Journalism (CIN), Mr. Vehid Šehić, president of the Strategic Committee of the “Pod lupom” Coalition, and Mr. Srđan Traljić, manager of public relations at Transparency International in Bosnia and Herzegovina. (TI BiH).
Civil society in general, including CSOs, the media and all other interested critical voices have an essential role in monitoring and informing the public about all irregularities. It is also much easier for CSOs, given their contacts with citizens, to get this information and more easily establish a bridge between citizens and institutions, i.e., to report all irregularities. This is the only way to correct what we are witnessing. – said Mrs. Leila Bičakčić, director of the Center for Investigative Journalism (CIN).
The Coalition “Pod lupom” pointed out that strong cooperation between all actors in the electoral process and the prosecutor’s offices, police agencies, CSOs and the media is necessary to prevent electoral irregularities. Only in this way an electoral process can be established in which every citizen can freely and without fear exercise their basic democratic rights and have a protected electoral will.
The Coalition for Free and Fair Elections underlines that they continue to advocate vigorously for the protection of the electoral will of citizens and the improvement of the electoral process, and that they will lead all initiatives that have free and fair elections in BiH as their ultimate goal.
