The head of the OSCE in Bosnia told N1 that she is concerned about reports of election fraud in Bosnia, saying the matter should be investigated. She also said that the country’s top judicial body is in a “deep and serious crisis which must be solved.”
Kathleen Kavalec, the Ambassador of the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe in Bosnia, was referring to two recent scandals involving elections fraud in the eastern Bosnian town of Srebrenica, where candidates seem to have forged documents from eligible voters in order to obtain more votes for the incumbent mayor.
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Police have detained three people and have searched several locations looking for evidence.“We have seen police adopting a proactive approach to this problem. We have also witnessed similar reports in the Brcko District. It is encouraging to see that such problems face consequences,” Kavalec said, noting that investigations have to produce solutions.
She also addressed recent allegations accusing the head of the top judicial body, Milan Tegeltija, of misusing his position to appoint the sister of a colleague as a judge in the city of Banja Luka.
Tegeltija tweeted that the OSCE has no authority to get involved in Bosnia’s judiciary but Kavalec said that OSCE’s role stems from the Dayton peace agreement which tasked the OSCE with the monitoring of human rights and that local institutions are obliged to cooperate.
The OSCE issued a report that pointed out the shortcomings that keep plaguing the country’s judiciary in which it said that the problem is not only Tegeltija’s High Judicial and Prosecutorial Council (HJPC) but the entire judicial system, particularly concerning its response to corruption.
Regarding the Tegeltija affair, “this problem must be solved within the HJPC. They have to overcome this crisis and show the highest level of integrity and independence,” Kavalec said, noting that citizens do not trust the judiciary the way it now is.
Kavalec also mentioned attacks against journalists in Bosnia, describing them as “concerning.”
Journalists must be able to do their job without fearing revenge, Kavalec said.
“Political officials must be accountable for their actions and show a high level of tolerance,” she said.
“Journalists play an essential role in every democratic society and they are the keepers of democracy,” Kavalec concluded.
