The OSCE Mission to Bosnia welcomes and supports the efforts of the Central Election Commission (CEC) to ensure full transparency in its work and to identify and respond to possible attempts of election fraud, the Mission said Wednesday on the occasion of local elections which will be held on November 15, in the country, urging citizens to report all cases of suspected fraud.

“We encourage voters to view the informational videos on voting provided by the CEC before they head to the polls. To help protect the integrity of the elections, citizens should report any cases of suspected fraud to the CEC and relevant law enforcement authorities. We also welcome the measures taken by the CEC to ensure that the COVID-19 positive or isolated cases have been granted an opportunity to vote via a special mobile team,” the OSCE said.

The Organization called on all political parties and candidates to uphold the principles of free and fair elections, show respect both for their competitors and for voters before, during, and after the elections and accept officially-confirmed electoral results. Hoping that there will be no inflammatory rhetoric or provocative incidents on election day the OSCE called for peaceful celebrations after the announcement of results.

“Election observers, both independent and from political parties, should be allowed to perform their duties without hindrance. This year, ‘Pod Lupom’ a coalition of NGOs, will deploy independent observers to monitor elections across the country. This is a fundamental safeguard for the integrity of elections,” the OSCE statement said.

Noting that elections are an important cornerstone of a democracy, the OSCE urged all eligible voters to use this opportunity and strengthen democracy in the country by voting.