BiH's Central Election Commission rejects reopening SNSD's certification procedure in early elections for RS entity president

The proposer of the request, the CEC BiH member Suad Arnautovic, stated that the request concerns the reopening of the procedure ex officio regarding the CEC BiH decision certifying the participation of the SNSD – Milorad Dodik political party in the early elections for the president of Republika Srpska.

Explaining the reason for submitting the request, he said it was based on new circumstances and information presented in a letter from the Court of Bosnia and Herzegovina dated 16 October 2025, which CEC BiH received on 20 October.

“I believe that the contested decision on the certification of this political entity established rights for the said political entity based on false documentation. In administrative proceedings, three essential elements must be met: timely written submission, which was met; admissibility, which was met; and signature by an authorized person – which, in my opinion, was not met,” Arnautovic said.

He emphasized that the case “touches on fundamental values of the constitutional and legal order of BiH, including the rule of law, legal certainty, institutional accountability, and the obligation to respect final court decisions.”

“Ignoring the ruling of the Court of BiH in this context not only constitutes a formal violation but effectively undermines the authority of the judiciary, opening the door to selective application of the law and institutional arbitrariness. Therefore, I believe conditions have been created to reopen this procedure and to establish the factual truth concerning the signature of the authorized person,” he added.

The CEC BiH member Vanja Bjelica-Prutina said she voted against including this item on the agenda, “considering it a settled matter and that it is unlawful to discuss a request to reopen the procedure, given that it concerns an extraordinary legal remedy.”

“Strictly respecting the fact that this request for reopening is not allowed, because extraordinary legal remedies against decisions of the Appeals Department for the Protection of Electoral Rights are not permitted, I vote against it. On this matter and all consequences of a legal ruling, if we are to speak of the rule of law I support, the competent authority must decide. Expecting another institution to act by overstepping its jurisdiction is illegal. I will not participate in that,” Bjelica-Prutina stated.

The CEC BiH member Ahmet Santic noted that the legal situation is unequivocally determined.

“We have the decision of the Central Election Commission of BiH. We have the decision of the Appeals Department of the Court of BiH. That decision is final and binding. As already stated, in formal terms, that decision cannot be subject to review through any extraordinary legal remedy. From the perspective of the CEC, the matter is practically closed,” Santic said.