The OSCE Mission in Bosnia and Herzegovina called on residents of Travnik and Foca to vote in the snap mayoral elections in the two towns that will take place on Sunday, stressing that “elections are an important cornerstone of a democracy.”

Citizens of the two towns will vote for their mayors after the deaths of formerly elected mayors Mirsad Peco and Esed Radeljas.

“Even in these sad circumstances, elections are an important cornerstone of a democracy. We hope that all eligible voters will use this opportunity to strengthen democracy in BiH by exercising their right to vote for the candidates they believe can best serve the interests of their communities. In this difficult time of the COVID-19 pandemic, we urge all voters to protect both themselves and polling station workers by wearing masks and respecting all protective measures while voting,” an OSCE statement said.

The OSCE welcomed and expressed support for 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” and urged citizens to report any cases of suspected fraud to the institution and relevant law enforcement authorities.

The statement stressed that election observers should be allowed to perform their duties without hindrance.

“This is a fundamental safeguard for the integrity of elections,” the OSCE said, welcoming the engagement of the ‘Pod Lupom’ Coalition, a non-governmental election watchdog, which announced the deployment of its observers at all polling stations in both towns.

The OSCE welcomed the measures taken by the CEC “to ensure that those with COVID-19 have an opportunity to vote with the help of a special mobile team.”

“We urge authorities to provide the necessary personal protective equipment to all election personnel and to ensure all protective measures are respected in the polling stations. In cases where schools are used as polling stations, authorities should ensure that disinfection takes place immediately after voting is completed. It is important that children and school staff in the country are able to resume their activities without undue health risks,” the statement said.

The OSCE also 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.”

“The OSCE Mission to BiH wishes all citizens of Travnik and Foca (FBiH) a safe and peaceful election day, which contributes to a stronger and more prosperous future,” the statement concluded.