Serb member of the BiH Presidency Željka Cvijanović met in Banja Luka on Tuesday with Tana de Zulueta, head of the Election Observation Mission of the OSCE Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights, to discuss the current political situation in BiH and the election process.
During the meeting, Cvijanović raised serious concerns regarding the manner and timing of the introduction of new technologies into the election process.
She pointed in particular to the fact that the technologies are being introduced during an election year, when the election process is already underway, arguing that this raises questions concerning legality, transparency, the preparedness of the election administration and the protection of ballot secrecy.
Cvijanović said she supports the modernization of the election process but stressed that technological solutions cannot become an end in themselves or undermine the fundamental principles of elections, particularly ballot secrecy, the ability to verify the electoral procedure and the protection of voters’ freely expressed will.
The Serb member of the BiH Presidency emphasized that the fundamental objective must remain a transparent, fair and credible election process conducted fully in accordance with the law, with both ballot secrecy and the democratic will of voters fully protected.
Source: RTRS
