Chairman of the Presidency of Bosnia and Herzegovina, Denis Becirovic, met with the newly appointed Secretary General of the Council of Europe, Alain Berset, at the United Nations headquarters in New York. Their discussion centred on the importance of implementing court rulings that address discrimination against the citizens of Bosnia and Herzegovina.

Becirovic congratulated Berset, the former President of the Swiss Confederation, on his new role and highlighted the critical contribution of the Council of Europe in promoting democracy, human rights, and European cooperation. He stressed that Bosnia and Herzegovina’s membership in the Council of Europe demands adherence to the highest democratic standards, including the protection of human rights and the rule of law.

He noted that the European Court of Human Rights has delivered several judgments confirming discrimination against BiH citizens, underscoring the urgent need to implement these decisions. The court's rulings oblige Bosnia and Herzegovina to remove discriminatory provisions from both the Constitution and the Election Law, in line with its commitments as a member of the UN and the Council of Europe.

“I firmly support the full implementation of all these judgments. The European Court of Human Rights has found that the current political system in Bosnia and Herzegovina places undue emphasis on ethnic representation, aggravating ethnic divisions and undermining the democratic nature of our elections,” Becirovic stated.

He also called on the High Representative in BiH, Christian Schmidt, to uphold and advance human rights and civil liberties in a manner consistent with democratic standards in Western countries. Furthermore, Becirovic reaffirmed Bosnia and Herzegovina's commitment to active cooperation with Council of Europe member states, reflecting the country's dedication to the organization's work, according to the Presidency of BiH.