Presse-Release-Congress-EN

T +33(0)390214895                www.coe.int/congress               [email protected]

Ref. CG-PR026 (2017)

Post-electoral dialogue with Bosnia and Herzegovina: Congress’ high-level mission to Sarajevo and Mostar

Strasbourg, 24 May 2017 A high-level delegation from the Congress of Local and Regional Authorities will carry out a mission to Bosnia and Herzegovina (BiH) on 25 and 26 May which takes place in the framework of the post-electoral dialogue, further to the local elections held in the country last October, and the implementation of Congress’ mechanisms to assess the situation of local and regional democracy in member States. The delegation includes Congress’ Vice-President Anders Knape (Sweden, EPP-CCE), the Chair of the Monitoring Committee Leen Verbeek (Netherlands, SOC) and the Rapporteur on the 2 October 2016 local elections in BiH, Stewart Dickson (United Kingdom, ILDG).

On 25 May, meetings are scheduled in Sarajevo with Mr Marinko Čavara, President of Federation of BiH, representatives of the Government of Republika Srpska, and Mr Bruce Berton, Principal Deputy of the High Representative for Bosnia and Herzegovina.

The delegation will also follow-up on Congress’ Recommendation 399 (2017)2, adopted at the 32nd Plenary Session in Strasbourg, with Ms Irena Hadziabdic, President of the Central Election Commission of Bosnia and Herzegovina and with Mr Šefik Džaferović, Speaker of the House of Representatives of the BiH Parliamentary Assembly. Other meetings on the current situation of local and regional democracy in BiH will be held, notably with Ms Vesna Travljanin, President of the Association of Municipalities and Towns of the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina.

On 26 May, the delegation will focus on the current political situation in the City of Mostar, where no local elections have been held since 2008. The delegation will meet with the acting Mayor of Mostar, Mr Ljubo Bešlić as well as with local stakeholders, including the representatives of political parties and local NGOs.

·         Programme

***

Observing local and regional elections is one of the action priorities of the Congress of Local and Regional Authorities. This activity complements the political monitoring of the European Charter of Local Self-Government, which constitutes the cornerstone of local and regional democracy in Europe. It contributes to ensuring the integrity of elections and building voters’ confidence at grassroots’ level. Since 1990, the Congress has conducted about 100 election observation missions in some of the 47 Council of Europe member states and beyond.

Contacts:
Renate ZIKMUND, Congress of Local and Regional Authorities, Head of the Division of Local and Regional Election Observation, Phone: + 33 659 786 455, email: [email protected]

Congress of Local and Regional Authorities

Planning, Coordination and institutional Communication Unit

Tel: +33 (0)3 90 21 48 95

Fax:+33 (0)3 88 41 27 51

[email protected]

www.coe.int/congress

The Congress has two chambers, the Chamber of Local Authorities and the Chamber of Regions. It brings together 324 full and 324 substitute members representing more than 200 000 European territorial communities.

President of the Congress: Gudrun Mosler-Törnström (Austria, SOC), President of the Chamber of Local Authorities: Anders Knape (Sweden, EPP/CCE), President of the Chamber of Regions: Gunn Marit Helgesen (Norway, EPP-CCE)

Political Groups: Socialist Group (SOC), Group of the European People’s Party (EPP/CCE), Independent and Liberal Democrat Group (ILDG), European Conservatives & Reformists Group  (ECR)