Senior officials of the EU urged the leaders of Bosnia and Herzegovina to reach a compromise on electoral reform without further delay, otherwise, the formation of a new government could be at risk.

High Representative Federica Mogherini and European Commissioner for Neighbourhood Policy and Enlargement Negotiations Johannes Hahn issued a joint statement on Wednesday, reminding that the European Commission called on Bosnia's political leaders in its recent report to assume their responsibilities and show the willingness to compromise the solution regarding the Election Law reform.

Political talks on electoral reform in Bosnia have been in a deadlock for some time, despite mediation of the international representatives in the country, who took the advisory role in these meetings.

Two years ago the Constitutional Court ruled that some provisions of the Election Law were inconsistent with the state Constitution. Since then the authorities have failed to act in the legally allowed timeframe resulting in a further court ruling to delete two sections of the Election Law that treats the matter of representation in the FBiH House of Peoples.

As the October election is approaching, as well as the early May deadline to announce the election, the talks have been intensified but with no success.

“The ongoing local facilitation efforts by the EU and the US ambassadors to Bosnia and Herzegovina have provided a framework conductive to a solution being found,” Mogherini and Hahn said. “We expect the leaders of Bosnia and Herzegovina to reach a compromise without further delay in the best interest of their country.”

The EU's officials expressed trust in the Bosnia's Central Election Commission exercising its mandate in an independent and professional manner.

“The holding of elections and the implementation of their results, including proper functioning of the institutions, is a fundamental democratic requirement for any country aspiring to join the European Union,” they said, adding that holding the future election results hostage to party interests “is not an option.”

A new round of political talks on this issue have been scheduled for May 3rd.