The general election in Bosnia will be held on October 7 and more than three million voters are entitled to the right to cast a vote, the Central Election Commission (CEC) has said on Tuesday.

CEC President Irena Hadziabdic told a press conference that the election process, taking place on October 7, will cost some BAM 8 million (approx. EUR 4 million).

According to Bosnia's Election Law, the elections are to be called 150 days prior to the election day. Voters will elect 518 officials, namely, the members of Bosnia's tripartite Presidency, members of state and entity parliaments as well as cantonal assemblies’ members. BAM 8.5 million (approx. EUR 4.25 million) has been earmarked in this year's state budget for purpose of funding the October election.

The Commission made significant improvements in the election process, guided by recommendations of the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE), as well as local and regional authorities, according to Hadziabdic.

Certain difficulties in work of the election and voters’ committees at the municipal level, according to her, will not jeopardize the election. She did, however, warn about other problems.

“We are entering this entire process with unclear regulations regarding the Election Law. Earlier recommendations said that election rules must not be amended in the year of the election. We are faced with a huge problem,” said Hadziabdic, referring to the ongoing issue of changes to the electoral legislation.

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.

The ongoing 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 negotiations.