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Election of judges to the European Court of Human Rights

List and curricula vitae of candidates submitted by the Government of Bosnia and Herzegovina

Communication | Doc. 16462 | 21 August 2026

Author(s):
Secretary General of the Parliamentary Assembly

1 List and curricula vitae of candidates submitted by the Government of Bosnia and HerzegovinaNote

Letter from Mr Haris Bašić, Ambassador, Permanent Representative of Bosnia and Herzegovina to the Council of Europe, to Ms Despina Chatzivassiliou, Secretary General of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe, dated 11 June 2026.

Dear Ms Chatzivassiliou,

With reference to your letter of 2 May 2025, I have the pleasure to inform you that the Presidency of Bosnia and Herzegovina, by its Decision No. 01-50-1-3-63/26 adopted on 12 January 2026, has nominated the following candidates for election as judge in respect of Bosnia and Herzegovina at the European Court of Human Rights:

  • Mr Mahir Muharemović
  • Mr Predrag Raosavljević
  • Ms Svjetlana Milišić-Veličkovski

Enclosed with the abovementioned decision of the Presidency of Bosnia and Herzegovina are also the curricula vitae of the three candidates, which are in accordance with the model adopted by the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe, and the description of the national selection procedure for the nomination of the three candidates.

(…)

2 Information on the national selection procedure for election as judge to the European Court of Human Rights in respect of Bosnia and Herzegovina

2.1 Decision

On the basis of Article V paragraph (3) point c) of the Constitution of Bosnia and Herzegovina, Article 32 paragraph (1) point a) of the Rules of Procedure of the Presidency of Bosnia and Herzegovina (Official Gazette of BiH, No. 10/13, 32/13 and 22/14), Articles 9 and 10 of theDecision on the Procedure for the Appointment of Ambassadors and Other International Representatives of Bosnia and Herzegovina (Official Gazette of BiH, No. 30/13 1 51/22), and in accordance with Article 21, paragraph 1 of the European Convention on Human Rights, and the criteria established by Resolution 1646 (2009) of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe, the Presidency of Bosnia and Herzegovina at the 27th regular session, held on 12 January 2026, passed

THE DECISION ON THE DETERMINATION OF THE LIST OF CANDIDATES FOR ELECTION OF JUDGE IN RESPECT OF BOSNIA AND HERZEGOVINA AT THE EUROPEAN COURT OF HUMAN RIGHTS (ECHR) IN STRASBOURG

Article 1 The Presidency of Bosnia and Herzegovina has determined the list of candidates for the election of a judge in respect of Bosnia and Herzegovina to the European Court of Human Rights in Strasbourg, namely:

  • Mahir Muharemović
  • Predrag Raosavljević
  • Svjetlana Milišić-Veličkovski

Article 2 The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Bosnia and Herzegovina, through the Secretariat of the Council of Europe is tasked with submitting this decision with their biographies to the Advisory Panel of Experts on candidates for election as judge to the European Court of Human Rights, for further action.

Article 3 The names of proposed candidates will not be made public until the end of the procedure of the Advisory Panel of Experts on candidates for election as judge to the European Court of Human Rights.

Article 4 This decision enters into force on the day of its adoption.

2.2 Final report on the work of the commission

Commission for conducting the procedure for the election of candidates for election as judge on behalf of Bosnia and Herzegovina at the European Court of Human Rights and for the positions at the Council of Europe and OSCE

Extracts from the FINAL REPORT ON THE WORK OF THE COMMISSION

At the 135th extraordinary session held on 3 June 2025 the Presidency of Bosnia and Herzegovina adopted Decision on the appointment of the Commission for conducting the procedure for the election of candidates as judge on behalf of Bosnia and Herzegovina to the European Court of Human Rights and for the positions at the Council of Europe and OSCE (hereinafter referred to the Commission), number: 01-50-1-13632/25, from the 3 June 2025. The appointed members of the Commission are: LLD Šahbaz Džihanović, LLD Radmila Štrbac and Albin Zuhrić.

Biography of the Commission members:

Šahbaz Džihanović was born on (…). He graduated from the Law School of the University in Sarajevo, and is a lawyer who has passed the professional administrative, judicial and bar exams. Doctor of Law.

At the Law School of the University of Sarajevo, he successfully defended the doctoral dissertation “Constitutional and judicial protection of human rights with special reference to Bosnia and Herzegovina”. His professional and administrative experience began in 1971 in the administrative bodies of the Živinice municipality, then continued in the legislative bodies of the Socialist Republic of Bosnia and Herzegovina, in the Constitutional Court of the Socialist Republic of Bosnia and Herzegovina, and in the executive authorities of the Socialist Republic of Bosnia and Herzegovina. After that, he served as the secretary of the Executive Council of the Socialist Republic of Bosnia and Herzegovina, then the secretary of the Government of the Socialist Republic of Bosnia and Herzegovina, and finally the secretary of the Government of the Republic of Bosnia and Herzegovina until 1993. From 1993 to 1998, he was the General Consul of the Republic of Bosnia and Herzegovina in Munich, Germany.

After Dayton, in Bosnia and Herzegovina, he served as the deputy minister of justice for the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina (1998-2002). He was the vice-president of the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina (2002-2006).

In the field of judiciary affairs, he served as the director of the Centre for education of judges and prosecutors of the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina (2006-2011), then he was the judge of the Court of Bosnia and Herzegovina (2011-2015), and the judge of the Constitutional Court of the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina (2015-2019). He speaks German.

Radmila (Dragan) Štrbac was born on (…). She holds a Bachelor of Laws (LLB), a master's degree, and a doctorate in Legal Sciences (LLD), and she specialises in international law. She published four monographs and more than 40 academic papers, and participated in numerous international academic conferences related to her field of expertise.

She passed the bar exam in 2009.

She is a certified trainer in the incorporation of European Union legislation into the domestic legal system and in negotiation in the process of European integration. She is a permanent educator at the Centre for Education of judges and prosecutors of the Republic of Srpska, specialising in European law.

She was the head of the Office for Harmonization of Legislation of the Republic of Srpska with European Union Regulations and the Practices and Standards of the Council of Europe, the assistant minister of the Ministry of economic relations and regional cooperation, the first advisor and head of the office of the Ministry of Foreign Trade and Economic Relations of Bosnia and Herzegovina, and the deputy director of the Republic Legislative Secretariat.

At the moment, she is serving as the Deputy Minister for European Integration in the Ministry of European Integration and International Relations. She is a permanent member of the Commission for European Integration within the Coordination System of the European Integration Process in Bosnia and Herzegovina and the representative of the Republic of Srpska Government in charge of coordinating European integration affairs.

Albin Zuhrić was born on (…). He holds a BBA (Bachelor of Business Administration) in International Business, Management and Economics, graduated from Northwood University in Michigan, United States. He was a member of the Cory Booker mayoral campaign in New Jersey. He was also a member of the Rick Snyder gubernatorial campaign. He was the Secretary-General of the political party Naša stranka from 2012 till 2017. Currently, he is an advisor to the Bosnia and Herzegovina Presidency member for the period from 2022 to 2026. Also, he is a member of the Foundation Boris Divković's management board. He is the creator of the project “Fabrika propisa” (Regulation Factory) with CIS foundation and SIDA. He has been the general director of The Headhunter since 2017. He is also the executive director of the Headhunter Corporation for International Recruitment from 2020 to the present.

(…)

Applicants' list of candidates for election as judge to the European Court of Human Rights

The following candidates applied through the Public call of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Bosnia and Herzegovina for the post of judge to the European Court of Human Rights from 10 July 2025:

  • Neven Anđelić
  • Jasminka Džumhur
  • Katica Artuković
  • Erliha Bičakčić
  • Dženana Hadžiomerović
  • Jelena Cvijetić
  • Anja Laštro
  • Monika Mijić
  • Vanja Pavlović
  • Tanja Hadžagić
  • Nedim Ademović
  • Svjetlana Milišić – Veličkovski
  • Boris Topić
  • Andrea Zubović Devedžić
  • Ivo Rozić
  • Mahir Muharemović
  • Sanida Vahida Ramić
  • Filip Novaković
  • Predrag Raosavljević

(…)

Third session of the Commission

LLD Šahbaz Džihanović invited the members to the Third session of the Commission on 1 September 2025, so the session was held on 15 September 2025.

The Commission's members and the Commission's secretary attended the session. Ms Emirka Bečić, an independent expert for the French language, and Ms Marija Letić, an independent expert for the English language, joined the second part of the session for the consulting and additional coordination with the Commission.

At the very beginning of the session, the Commission adopted the following agenda:

1 establishing interview guidelines and procedure, and
2 interviewing with the candidates who answered the Commission's call

Before the interview began, the Commission agreed on the methodology and basic guidelines for both days.

Additionally, a uniform approach to evaluating candidates' foreign language (French and English) fluency was agreed upon. The independent experts in French and English would conduct the assessment.

Before the interview procedure, it was noted that the two applicants withdrew before the interview: Nedim Ademović and Filip Novaković (…).

Interviewing candidates who answered the Commission's call

The interviews with the candidates who answered the Commission's call were held on 15 and 16 September 2025 in the hall of the Presidency of Bosnia and Herzegovina, in accordance with the pre-established interview plan and schedule, which the applicants were duly notified of beforehand.

(…)

The Commission posed the same questions to all candidates in the following order: the President of the Commission, LLD Šahbaz Džihanović; the member, LLD Radmila Štrbac; and the member, Albin Zuhrić.

In the second part of the interview, the experts in English and French, English language teacher Marija Letić and French language teacher Emirka Bečić, completed their part of the task, which included a fluency evaluation in English and French. The individual assessments were noted and incorporated into the reports for each candidate.

Each of the applicants answered the same questions:

LLD Šahbaz Džihanović posed the following questions:

  • Non-execution of the judgments of the European Court of Human Rights and possibilities of future realisation (with comment on judgments Sejdić and Finci, Pilav, etc.)
  • The human rights situation in Bosnia and Herzegovina

LLD Radmila Štrbac posed the following questions:

  • Protocol No. 14 of the European Convention on Human Rights and fundamental freedoms (what is changed, and what is improved by the mentioned protocol)
  • The legal nature of the Venice Commission's guidelines and recommendations

Mr Albin Zuhrić posed the following questions:

  • The Kovačević judgment of the European Court of Human Rights in Strasbourg (candidate's opinion on the judgement from the standpoint of procedure).

The fourth session of the Commission was held on 6 October 2025, starting at 11:00, in the Presidency's working lounge. At the very beginning, the Commission adopted the following agenda:

1 Evaluation, assessment and finalisation of the successful applicants list:

a for the candidates on behalf of Bosnia and Herzegovina for election as judge to the European Court of Human Rights

(…)

Item 1: Evaluation, assessment and finalisation of the successful applicants list for the candidates on behalf of Bosnia and Herzegovina for election as judge to the European Court of Human Rights and for positions at the bodies of the Council of Europe and OSCE

In the introductory part of the session, President LLD Šahbaz Džihanović, pointed out the facts:

  • That during the third session, held on 15 and 16 September 2025, the Commission conducted the interviews with the applicants who applied through the Public call of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Bosnia and Herzegovina from 10 July 2025 for the representatives of Bosnia and Herzegovina for the post of judge on behalf of Bosnia and Herzegovina in the international organisations: for the election of the candidates for the judge of the European Court of Human Rights (…).
  • The Commission used the selection interview method, which is based on identical questions posed to all applicants. It simultaneously took notes on the interviews with a previously determined system of evaluation of the applicants' answers:

1. A candidate can achieve a maximum score of 100 points.

1. The assessment and evaluation structure comprises:
a biography of the candidate and compliance with the requirements from Chapter Il of the Decision on the procedure for the appointment of ambassadors and other international representatives of Bosnia and Herzegovina, and requirements of the Public call of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Bosnia and Herzegovina up to 100 points;
b master/magisterium and other professional qualifications and education of the candidate up to 5 points;
c doctorate up to 10 points;
d general impression on the candidate up to 15 points;
e evaluation of the English or other official language of the UN or other languages of the EU member countries — assessment of the English and French language, conducted by the independent experts for both languages up to 20 points.

  • Very demanding task for the Commission, which is supposed to apply all previously determined criteria and evaluate each applicant in the best possible way, professionally, objectively and independently and finalize the procedure entrusted to it by the Presidency of Bosnia and Herzegovina.

Following a brief discussion, it is unanimously concluded that:

a the Commission is supposed to finalise the very demanding task of evaluation, scoring of the candidates, proposing the shortlist of candidates for the post of judge on behalf of Bosnia and Herzegovina at the European Court of Human Rights (…).
b assessment, scoring and determination of the list of candidates for the position of the judge on behalf of Bosnia and Herzegovina at the European Court of Human Rights (…), must be balanced;
c the members of the Commission, as individuals, and as the Commission in the whole, will act professionally and independently from any political influence;
d the initial reference for the members of the Commission is the good understanding of the jobs done in the European Court of Human Rights (…);
e knowledge, skills and personal characteristics of each candidate individually, necessary for the positions they apply, will be the main arguments of the procedure for determining their references;
f the final shortlist of three candidates applying for the post of judge on behalf of Bosnia and Herzegovina at the European Court of Human Rights will show no significant differences in their credentials, nor will the Commission attempt to give preferential treatment to any of the three candidates.
g the order of candidates will be set in alphabetical order.

In selecting and finalising the list of the successful candidates and the shortlist of the most successful candidates who applied through the Public call, the Commission shall be guided by the following criteria:

a act in accordance with the requirements of Chapter Il of the Decision on the procedure for the appointment of ambassadors (election of the representatives of Bosnia and Herzegovina in the international organisations and institutions). The provisions of this Chapter apply to the representatives of Bosnia and Herzegovina in international organisations and institutions;
b act in accordance with the demands and criteria determined by the Public call of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Bosnia and Herzegovina, from 10 July 2024;
c act in accordance with the Decision on the procedure for evaluation of candidates' knowledge of the candidates who applied through the Public call of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Bosnia and Herzegovina, applying for the post of the judge on behalf of Bosnia and Herzegovina to the European Court of Human Rights (…);
d act in accordance with the Rules of Procedure, and;
e act in accordance with the procedure for the election of the judges on behalf of Bosnia and Herzegovina at the European Court of Human Rights (…).

Upon having unanimously accepted the main elements of the evaluation procedure of the candidates applying through the Public call, the Commission determined the date for the continuation of the procedure, and it was 7 October 2025 at 9:00 at the working lounge of the Presidency of Bosnia and Herzegovina.

During the resumed fourth session of the Commission, held on 7 October 2025, the Commission applied aforementioned procedure for the evaluation of the candidates applying through the Public call, and considering main elements of the procedure for the election of the judges on behalf of Bosnia and Herzegovina at the European Court of Human Rights, in accordance with the guidelines of the Committee of Ministers and the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe, the Commission evaluated candidates individually (…).

On the basis of the aforementioned list of candidates, the Commission determined:

LIST OF CANDIDATES

(In alphabetic order)

for election as judge on behalf of Bosnia and Herzegovina to the European Court of Human Rights

  • Mahir Muharemović
  • Predrag Raosavljević
  • Svjetlana Milišić Veličkovski

The list of candidates for election as judge on behalf of Bosnia and Herzegovina to the European Court of Human Rights shall be submitted to the Presidency of Bosnia and Herzegovina for further competent action and determination.

The detailed description of the procedure used to form the list shall be attached to the list as well.

(…)

Upon completion of scoring and formal approval of the three-candidate list for election as judge to the European Court of Human Rights (…), it has been concluded that:

The next, fifth session of the Commission is to be held on 16 October 2025 at 11:00 at the Presidency of Bosnia and Herzegovina, according to the adopted agenda:

1 Adopting the minutes of the fourth session of the Commission
2 Formal approval of the:
a final three-candidate list for election as judge to the European Court of Human Rights in Strasbourg, (…)
3 Discussion and adoption of the final report on the Commission's work, and
4 Current matters.

The fifth session of the Commission was held on 16 October 2025, with the beginning at 11:00 in the building of the Presidency of Bosnia and Herzegovina, according to the call for the session and the adopted agenda:

1 Adopting the minutes of the fifth session
2 Formal approval of the final list:

a a three-candidate list for election as judge to the European Court of Human Rights in Strasbourg.

Based on the scoring of applicants for election as judge to the European Court of Human Rights in Strasbourg, the Commission formally approved in alphabetical order:

The final three-candidate list for election as judge to the European Court of Human Rights in Strasbourg

  • Mahir Muharemović
  • Predrag Raosavljevići
  • Svjetlana Milišić-Veličkovski.

In the procedure of establishing the three-candidate list through the Public call of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Bosnia and Herzegovina from 10 July 2024, the Commission acted in accordance with the Decision on the procedure for the appointment of ambassadors and other international representatives of Bosnia and Herzegovina – Chapter II (Election of the representatives of Bosnia and Herzegovina in the international organizations and institutions), conditions and criteria set out in the Public call of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Bosnia and Herzegovina, the Decision of the Commission on the procedure of knowledge assessment of the candidates who applied through the Public call of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Bosnia and Herzegovina for the election of the candidates for the post of judge to the European Court of Human Rights and positions at the Council of Europe and OSCE, and Rules of Procedure of the Commission.

In doing so, the Commission gave special consideration to the Procedures of the election the candidates for the post of judge to the European Court of Human Rights and to the Guidelines of the Committee of Ministers and Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe, pursuant to which, the significant differences the references among three selected candidates should not exist, and it has been equally important for the contracting state not to give preferential treatment any of the three candidates, so in this particular case, the names of the three candidates have been provided in the alphabetical order, and the list contains at least one male and one female candidate.

The detailed description of the procedures applied by the Commission for establishing of the list of candidates after the quoted Public call, can be found in the final report on the work of the Commission for the procedure for conducting the election of candidates for the post of judge on behalf of Bosnia and Herzegovina to the European Court of Human Rights (…) which is submitted as an appendix.

(…)

Under agenda item 3, the Commission reconsidered the Draft Final Report on the work of the Commission.

After discussion on the Draft of the Report, the Commission unanimously concluded that:

1 Draft report contains credible data, information and decisions brought by the Commission during implementation of the task 2 of the Decision on the appointment of the Commission for conducting the procedure for the election of candidates for the post of judge on behalf of Bosnia and Herzegovina at the European Court of Human Rights (…) from 3 June 2025.
2 The formally approved lists will be submitted to the Presidency of Bosnia and Herzegovina for consideration and resolution, with the proposal of relevant decisions.
3 This final report on the work of the Commission will be submitted with the established lists of candidates and will serve as a detailed statement of procedural grounds for the execution of the Public call of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Bosnia and Herzegovina from 10 July 2024.
4 The task of the secretary of the Commission was to prepare appropriate supporting documentation for every list of candidates: applications and credible evidences of compliance with the requirements of the Public call the Ministry of foreign affairs of Bosnia and Herzegovina from 10 July 2024 and CV (curriculum vitae), that is standardly structured biography, other data and facts relevant for the continuation of the procedure after resolutions of the Presidency of Bosnia and Herzegovina.
5 The members of the Commission for conducting the procedure in accordance with the Decision of the Presidency of Bosnia and Herzegovina from 3 June 2025, will submit their CVs to the secretary of the Commission. The CVs will be added to the report on the Commission's work.

Upon consideration of the final report, the Commission unanimously stated that:

a the Public call for submission of applications for election as judge on behalf of Bosnia and Herzegovina to the European Court of Human Rights was publicly announced in three daily newspapers, on the website of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Bosnia and Herzegovina, on the X platform and on Facebook page of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Bosnia and Herzegovina;
b the procedure of establishing the three-candidate shortlist on behalf of Bosnia and Herzegovina for the election of a judge to the European Court of Human Rights, and for the positions at the Council of Europe was transparent and predefined;
c the members of the Commission are competent and possess sufficient professional and technical knowledge for the completion of the tasks set by the Presidency of Bosnia and Herzegovina, in accordance with the Decision on the appointment of the Commission from 3 June 2025. Also, they are not submissive to any external influence;
d the Commission for the examination of the applications and proposing the shortlists has had a balanced attitude towards the applicants and candidates;
e while executing the interview, the Commission applied the selection interview method, identical for each candidate, based on the exact questions for every applicant, noted in detail, according to the predefined system of evaluation of the answers of candidates, and;
f during the interview, an organised and conducted evaluation of the English and French languages was performed by experts in the English and French languages.

Under agenda item 4, it is decided that the sixth and final session of the Commission will be held on 23 October 2025 at 10:00, according to the following agenda:

1 Signing the formally approved lists:
2
a the three-candidate list on behalf of Bosnia and Herzegovina for the election of a judge to the European Court of Human Rights;
b (…);
c the final report on the work of the Commission;
d concluding submission of the formally approved lists to the Presidency of Bosnia and Herzegovina for consideration and resolution.

(…)

The fifth session of the Commission ended at 14:00.

The sixth session of the Commission was held on 23 October 2025 at 10:00 in the Presidency session's hall.

The session was attended by the President of the Commission, the members and the secretary. At the very beginning, the Commission determined the above-mentioned agenda.

After the adoption of the agenda, its implementation commenced.

1. Signing of the formally approved lists

Upon execution of the application procedure, at the very beginning of the sixth session, the Commission briefly recapitulated the previous activities, from July 2025 to October 2025, and summarised the achieved results in conducting the procedure on the Public call of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Bosnia and Herzegovina, from 10 July 2024.

Also, once again, the technical compliance was verified, and the credibility of the data was confirmed, with prepared three-candidate lists for the European Court of Human Rights (…). With reference to the minutes from previous sessions, every member of the Commission proceeded to sign the lists, which will be submitted to the Presidency of Bosnia and Herzegovina for consideration and resolution.

Signing of the final report on the work of the Commission

After adopting the final report on the work of Commission from the fifth session 16 October 2025, containing resolutions and minutes from today’s sixth session, held on 23 October 2025, the Commission unanimously adopted the final report on the work of the Commission for conducting the procedure for the election of candidates for the post as judge on behalf of Bosnia and Herzegovina to the European Court of Human Rights (…), and each member of the Commission proceeded to the signing:

The Commission concluded:

a Formally approved and signed lists of candidates for positions through the Public call of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Bosnia and Herzegovina, from 10 July 2024, will be submitted to the Presidency of Bosnia and Herzegovina for consideration and resolution.
b The final report on the work of the Commission will be submitted to the Presidency of Bosnia and Herzegovina for the purpose of detailed explanation of the procedures, the interview with the candidates, evaluation and assessment of the candidates' knowledge according to the adopted criteria, evaluation of the English and French language knowledge, and positioning on the lists, all in reference to the Article 2 of the Decision of the Presidency of Bosnia and Herzegovina on the appointment of the Commission for conducting the procedure of the Public call of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs from 10 July 2024.
c All documents submitted to the Presidency of Bosnia and Herzegovina will be written in the official languages of Bosnia and Herzegovina, written in Cyrillic and Latin scripts.
d Upon discussion and resolution of the Presidency of Bosnia and Herzegovina about the matter, the Secretariat of the Presidency of Bosnia and Herzegovina will terminate activities related to the Public call, in co-operation and mutual relations with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Bosnia and Herzegovina. The three-candidate list for election as judge on behalf of Bosnia and Herzegovina to the European Court of Human Rights, (…) will be appended with appropriate explanations, biographies of the candidates and other original documents submitted to the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe, in accordance with the decisions of the Presidency of Bosnia and Herzegovina.

(…)

The Commission stated that its successful work on the Public call of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Bosnia and Herzegovina, launched on 10 July 2024, has now concluded.

The session ended at 12.00

No. 01-50-1-1363-42/25

Sarajevo, 23rd October 2025

Secretary of the Commission

(signature)

Dušica Bećarević

Commission

(Signatures)

LLD Šahbaz Džihanović, president

LLD Radmila Štrbac, member

Albin Zuhrić, member

Appendix 1 – Curriculum vitae of Svjetlana MILIŠIĆ-VELIČKOVSKI

I. Personal details

Name: MILIŠIĆ-VELIČKOVSKI, Svjetlana

Gender: female

Date and place of birth: 25 March 1970 in Sarajevo, Bosnia and Herzegovina

Nationality: Bosnia and Herzegovina

II. Education and academic and other qualifications

  • Bar exam (2000), Federal Ministry of Justice, Sarajevo (Bosnia and Herzegovina)
  • Human Rights Law and Practice Programme (September – November 1998), Institute of European Law, University of Birmingham (England)
  • Master of European Studies (1993-1994), College of Europe, Bruges (Belgium) and Natolin (Poland)
  • Diploma in Comparative Law (1992-1993), Institut de droit comparé, Université de Paris II (France)
  • Diploma in Law (1988-1992, final exams in 1997 due to the war in Bosnia and Herzegovina), Law Faculty, University of Sarajevo
  • Baccalauréat A2 (1987-1988), Lycée Augustin Thierry, Blois (France)

III. Relevant professional activities

a. Description of judicial activities

  • Judge, Supreme Court of the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina, Sarajevo, Civil Department and Administrative Department (since June 2018): Deciding on extraordinary legal remedies against final court decisions in civil, labour and commercial law cases; issuing preliminary rulings on disputable legal issues relevant for decisions of first instance courts; deciding on extraordinary legal remedies in administrative disputes.
  • Judge and Head of Department, Cantonal Court in Sarajevo, Civil Department (2016-2018): Hearing appeals in civil (including labour and family) law cases; coordinating and supervising activities of the Civil Department; monitoring and analysing case law in civil law matters; member of the editorial board for the Cantonal Court Bulletin of Case Law.
  • Judge, Cantonal Court in Sarajevo, Administrative Department and Civil Department (2009-2016): Judicial review of administrative decisions; hearing appeals in civil law cases.
  • Judge, Municipal Court in Sarajevo (2003-2009): First instance proceedings in civil law cases.

b. Description of non-judicial legal activities

  • Member of the expert team for the reform of civil appellate procedures in Bosnia and Herzegovina, High Judicial and Prosecutorial Council (2021-2022): Analysis of the efficiency and quality of appeal proceedings before the courts of Bosnia and Herzegovina; comparative study of European appellate systems; proposal for legislative changes and other measures to reduce the number of civil cases before appellate courts and shorten the duration of proceedings;
  • Senior Judicial Reform Officer, Independent Judicial Commission, Sarajevo (2002-2003): Work on the Civil Procedure Law Reform and other judicial reform projects, involving considerations of all aspects of the right to a fair trial;
  • Attorney and trainee lawyer, Milišić Munira i Vladimir, Attorneys, Sarajevo (1998-2001): Representing clients in lawsuits before the courts and administrative agencies, particularly in civil obligations, property and housing cases, including cases of human rights violations;
  • Legal Officer, Office of the High Representative for Bosnia and Herzegovina (OHR), Legal Department, Sarajevo (1996-1998): Drafting law proposals and follow-up on the adoption and implementation of new pieces of legislation on property and occupancy rights, raising very sensitive issues of return of refugees to their homes in the post-war period;
  • Academic Assistant, College of Europe – Natolin, Warsaw (1994-1996): Holding tutorials and providing academic assistance in the courses on Human Rights and Rights of Minorities, EU Law, Legal Reforms in Central and Eastern Europe.

c. Description of non-legal professional activities

Not applicable

IV. Activities and experience in the field of human rights

Judicial position in the courts of first, second and last instance: dealing with cases involving questions of potential violations of human rights; applying the ECHR principles and standards both directly and when interpreting domestic laws;

Trainer in the BH Judicial Training Centres on topics such as Right to a Fair Trial, Civil Procedure Law, Gender Equality, Sexual Harassment, Freedom of Expression, Teamwork and Communication in Judicial Institutions (since 2010);

Consultant for the project “Protecting freedom of expression and of the media in the Western Balkans” (PRO-FREX), Council of Europe (since 2024);

Consultant for the EFEx project aimed at enhancing institutional capacities on freedom of expression and access to information in BiH, Council of Europe (since 2023);

National adaptation and tutoring of HELP courses: “Freedom of Expression”, “Judicial Reasoning and Human Rights” and “Quality of Justice – the Work of the CEPEJ”, Council of Europe (2020, 2024, 2025);

Council of Europe trainer for the European Convention on Human Rights (2020-2022);

National adaptation of the update to the Handbook for Trainers on Freedom of Expression, Council of Europe – JUFREX project (2020);

Member of the Panel for drafting the Practice Guide: Domestic Violence, project of the Atlantic Initiative and DCAF (2016);

Member of the Panel for drafting the Guidelines on Prevention of Sexual and Gender Based Harassment, High Judicial and Prosecutorial Council of Bosnia and Herzegovina (2014);

Lecturer, presenter and panellist in numerous national and international conferences, seminars and workshops on human rights, rule of law and administration of justice;

Professional experience as described above in III. b.

V. Public activities

a. Public office

Not applicable

b. Elected posts

Not applicable

c. Posts held in a political party or movement

Not applicable

VI. Other activities

Membership in Council of Europe Commissions: Member (since 2022) and Substitute member (2018 to 2022) of the European Commission for the Efficiency of Justice (CEPEJ) for Bosnia and Herzegovina;

Membership in professional associations: Member of the Coordination Board of the Association of Women Judges of Bosnia and Herzegovina (since 2024) and Member of the Association (since 2009).

VII. Publications and other works

Assessment of legislative and policy needs for implementing European anti-SLAPP standards in the context of Bosnia and Herzegovina, contribution to the Regional Assessment for Western Balkans, Council of Europe – PROFREX project, 2024;

Defamation Lawsuits against the Media, in Džihana, A. (editor), Media Law: Framework for Free and Responsible Functioning of the Media, pp 123-164, Centre for promotion of civil society, Sarajevo, 2022;

Practice Handbook for Judges and Prosecutors in Sexual Harassment Cases, Group of authors, Atlantic Initiative, Sarajevo, 2018 (co-author and co-editor);

Commentary to the Code of Civil Procedure of the Federation of BiH and Republika Srpska, second revised edition: Kulenović Z, Mikulić S, Milišić-Veličkovski S, Stanišić J, Vučina D, Apriori org. agencija, Mostar, 2011;

Commentary to the Code of Civil Procedure of the Federation of BiH and Republika Srpska: Kulenović Z, Mikulić S, Milišić-Veličkovski S, Stanišić J, Vučina D, Joint Project of the Council of Europe and European Union, Sarajevo, 2005.

VIII. Languages

Language

English

French

Bosnian

Italian

Spanish

Polish

Reading

C2

C2

C2

B2

B1

A2

Writing

C2

C1

C2

B1

A2

A1

Listening

C2

C2

C2

B2

B1

A2

Speaking

C2

C2

C2

B1

A2

A1

How acquired?

Language course, studying and working in English

School classes, living in France, studying and working in French

Native language

Language course

Time spent in Spain

Language course, living in Poland

IX. Other relevant information

//

X. Upgrading language skills

In the event that you do not meet the level of language proficiency required for the post of judge in an official language, please confirm your intention to follow intensive language classes of the language concerned prior to, and if need be also at the beginning of, your term of duty if elected a judge on the Court.

[] Yes, I confirm

XI. Residency in Strasbourg

Please confirm that you will take up permanent residence in Strasbourg if elected a judge on the Court.

[] Yes, I confirm

Appendix 2 – Curriculum vitae of Mahir MUHAREMOVIĆ

I. Personal details

Name: MUHAREMOVIĆ, Mahir

Gender: male

Date and place of birth: 15 May 1985 in Brcko, Bosnia and Herzegovina

Nationality: Bosnian

II. Education and academic, and other qualifications

  • Ph.D. in Public and International Law (summa cum laude), University of Tuzla, Faculty of Law, 2018. Dissertation: "Application of Human Rights before International Investment Tribunals." This doctoral research examined the intersection of international human rights law and investment arbitration, a field of direct relevance to the protection of fundamental rights in the context of international adjudication.
  • Master of Laws (LL.M.) in Public and International Public Law, University of Tuzla, Faculty of Law, 2013. Master Thesis: "Sovereignty of EU Member States after the Lisbon Treaty."
  • Attorney’s Exam, Bar Association of the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina, 2015.
  • Bar Exam, Federal Ministry of Justice of the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina, 2011.
  • Graduate Jurist (summa cum laude), University of Tuzla, Faculty of Law, 2009.

III. Relevant professional activities

a. Description of judicial activities

My judicial career includes direct experience as a sitting judge in criminal matters and hands-on work at the European Court of Human Rights in Strasbourg.

Judge, Criminal Cases Section, Basic Court of Bijeljina (February 2016 to October 2018): presided over a comprehensive docket of criminal cases. This required me to meticulously evaluate complex legal briefs, evidentiary submissions, and oral arguments presented by both the prosecution and the defense. As the presiding judge, I was responsible for issuing first instance judgments on the merits and determining proportionate criminal sentences. My judicial mandate also encompassed significant pretrial oversight, where I routinely authorised search warrants, supervised ongoing criminal investigations, and adjudicated motions for pretrial detention. This role required daily engagement with fair trial guarantees under the European Convention on Human Rights, including Article 5 (liberty and security) and Article 6 (fair trial) rights.

Judge-Associate, Civil Cases Section, Municipal Court Gradacac (July 2012 to January 2016): operating within the Civil Cases Section, I presided over a dedicated docket of small claims civil disputes. This position required me to independently analyse legal briefs, evaluate competing evidentiary submissions, and assess oral arguments presented by the litigating parties. My core judicial function was the direct resolution of these disputes by issuing first instance civil judgments on the merits. This experience provided a solid grounding in the civil dimension of Convention rights, including property rights (Protocol 1, Article 1) and access to court.

Visiting Professional, European Court of Human Rights, Strasbourg (September to October 2015): screened applications brought before the Court and drafted legal decisions on admissibility. This role provided first-hand familiarity with the Court’s working methods, case-processing procedures, and admissibility criteria under Articles 34 and 35 of the Convention.

b. Description of non-judicial legal activities

Throughout my career, I have combined academic research, legal consultancy and international rule of law work with a consistent focus on human rights and constitutional law.

Senior Researcher and Program Manager for the Rule of Law Programme South East Europe, Konrad Adenauer Foundation, Bucharest (from November 2018, current): Legal research and analysis on rule of law, corruption, international and human rights law, constitutional law and procedural law across the SEE Region. Conceptualise and conduct qualitative and quantitative empirical research; write reports on rule of law issues; provide legal advice based on existing legislation; coordinate rule of law projects across the region; deliver lectures on human rights, rule of law and international law.

Assistant Professor of Public and International Law, Faculty of Law, University of Tuzla (adjunct, from February 2022, current): Lecture planning, scientific research, teaching and assessment in subjects including international law and human rights law. Previously (from 2020), I was also engaged at the same faculty as a part time lecturer on international law.

Consultant Legal Expert, OSCE Mission in BiH, Anti-Corruption Project (May to June 2022): Drafted an evaluation report on the legal framework and its effects on the work of anti-corruption bodies in Bosnia and Herzegovina.

Peer Reviewer for the DHS Journal (University of Tuzla), the Proceedings of the Faculty of Law in Tuzla, and Springer’s Balkan Yearbook of European and International Law (2023 to 2024).

Research and Teaching Assistant, Faculty of Law, University of Tuzla (2011 to 2013): Assisted professors with classroom instruction, examinations and record-keeping; delivered lectures in criminal law.

Legal Trainee, Cantonal Prosecutor’s Office Tuzla (2009 to 2011): Assisted prosecutors during investigations and drafted decisions including indictments and warrants.

c. Description of non-legal professional activities

Beyond strictly legal work, I have engaged in broader professional activities that intersect with governance, democratic processes and data analysis.

Country Expert for the Varieties of Democracy (V-Dem) Project, Dem Institute, University of Gothenburg, Sweden (from January 2020, periodic, current): Analyse and provide data related to governance and rule of law in Bosnia and Herzegovina, contributing to a global dataset used by researchers and policymakers worldwide for assessing democratic quality.

Editor in Chief, Law and Governance South East Europe Blog (from October 2025, current): leading the editorial vision and content strategy for this specialised platform, focusing on public law and governance challenges within the South East Europe region.

Lecturer at the School of Transitional Justice, organised by NGO Pravnik and UNDP BiH with EU support (April 2024, November 2024): Delivered interactive lectures on eroding international justice, incorporating case studies on accountability and human rights protection in post-conflict settings.

IV. Activities and experience in the field of human rights

Human rights have been the central thread of my professional and academic career, spanning judicial practice, international institutional engagement, scholarly research and capacity-building across the Western Balkans.

As a Visiting Professional at the European Court of Human Rights (Strasbourg, 2015), I gained direct insight into the Court’s functioning by screening applications and drafting admissibility decisions. This experience shaped my understanding of the Convention system from within. As a judge at the Basic Court of Bijeljina (2016 to 2018), I applied Convention standards daily, in particular Articles 5 and 6 ECHR, when deciding on pre-trial custody, evaluating the legality of evidence, and safeguarding the rights of the accused. In my current role as Senior Researcher in a renowned Rule of Law Program for the SEE Region (from 2018), I research and publish on rule of law, human rights and anti-corruption in the Western Balkans, and deliver lectures and training on these subjects to legal professionals and civil society actors across the region. My doctoral dissertation (2018, summa cum laude) examined the application of human rights before international investment tribunals, exploring how fundamental rights interact with investor-state dispute settlement. My peer-reviewed publications address a wide range of human rights topics: the jurisprudence of the ECtHR and legal realism, the role of constitutional identity in ECtHR case law, fair trial implications of AI in judicial decision-making, the hierarchy of human rights in international law, the protection of the right to water in investment arbitration, and criminal liability for non-enforcement of ECtHR judgments. As a lecturer in public and international law at the University of Tuzla (from 2020), I teach and mentor students on human rights law and constitutional law. I also contributed as a consultant to the OSCE Mission in BiH on an anti-corruption project (2022), assessing the legal framework governing anti-corruption bodies.

V. Public activities

a. Public office

Not applicable. I have not held any public office positions.

b. Elected posts

Not applicable. I have not held any elected posts.

c. Posts held in a political party or movement

Not applicable. I have not held any posts in a political party or movement.

VI. Other activities

Conference participation: Regular presenter and participant at international academic conferences, including the Dayton Agreement at 30 conferences at Istanbul University (November 2025) and the Association of Judges Conference in Jahorina, BiH (October 2022). International collaboration: Contribute as Country Expert to the V-Dem Project at the University of Gothenburg, providing governance and rule of law data on Bosnia and Herzegovina for global comparative research.

VII. Publications and other works

Author of 3 books, over 20 peer-reviewed journal articles and numerous legal policy briefs. Selected titles (most relevant to the mandate of the ECtHR):

1 “A politicized Court: Does Appointment Shape Judges’ Voting and Judicial Reasoning at the Constitutional Court of BiH?” (presented at a conference at Istanbul University, November 2025, expected to be published during 2026 in a book by Routledge)
2 "AI as a Judge: Violation of the Right to a Fair Trial, per se?", International Journal of Human Rights and Constitutional Studies, Vol.12, No.4, 2025 (Web of Science).
3 "Balancing Democracy and Human Rights: The Role of Constitutional Identity in the European Court of Human Rights’ Recent Jurisprudence (co-authored), Bratislava Law Review, Vol. 8, No. 2, 2024 (SCOPUS/WoS).
4 "Protection of Human Rights before the ECtHR: Legal Realism at Work?", Signs of Time, 2024 (DOAJ).
5 "Consequences of the Rule of Law Debates for the Accession Process of the Western Balkan States" (co-authored), in: The Rule of Law Under Threat, Edward Elgar Publishing, 2024.
6 “On the need to rebalance between efficiency and the protection of fundamental human rights in the criminal procedure of BiH on the example of the issue of the legality of evidence”, Journal of Law and Finance, 9/2021
7 "Criminal Liability of Parliamentarians in B&H in the Case of Non-Enforcing Decisions of the Constitutional Court and the European Court on Human Rights", Journal of Public Law, No.15, 2014.
8 "Protecting Fundamental Human Rights before International Investment Tribunals, with Specific Reference to the Right to Water", Collected Papers of the Faculty of Law in Nis, No.82/2019 (HeinOnline/EBSCO/CEEOL/DOAJ).
9 "On the Existence of a Hierarchy of Human Rights in International Law", Znakovi vremena, 2019 (DOAJ).
10 "The Dayton Democracy Model and Its Impact on the Bosnian State", Int. J. Human Rights and Constitutional Studies, Vol. 4, No. 1, 2016 (Web of Science).

VIII. Languages

Language

English

French

German

Bosnian/Croatian/Serbian

Reading

C2

B1

C2

C2(native)

Writing

C2

A1

C2

C2(native)

Listening

C2

A2

C2

C2(native)

Speaking

C2

A1

C2

C2(native)

How acquired?

School+work+courses: IELTS Academic (British Council)

Self-study+ short language course

School and living in Germany: ZOP (Goethe Institute

Native

IX. Other relevant information

I bring a distinctive combination of judicial experience, international institutional exposure and sustained academic engagement with human rights law that is directly relevant to the work of the ECtHR. My first-hand experience as a Visiting Professional at the Court in Strasbourg, together with my practice as a sitting judge applying Convention standards in criminal proceedings, provides me with a practical understanding of both the Strasbourg system and domestic judicial realities. My extensive publication record in human rights and rule of law, my ongoing rule of law work across the SEE Region, and my academic teaching equip me with the analytical depth and regional perspective needed to contribute meaningfully to the Court’s work.

X. Upgrading language skills

In the event that you do not meet the level of language proficiency required for the post of judge in an official language, please confirm your intention to follow intensive language classes of the language concerned prior to, and if need be also at the beginning of, your term of duty if elected a judge on the Court (please tick the box to confirm).

[X] Yes, I confirm

XI. Residency in Strasbourg

Please confirm that you will take up permanent residence in Strasbourg if elected a judge on the Court (please tick the box to confirm).

[X] Yes, I confirm

Appendix 3 – Curriculum vitae of Predrag RAOSAVLJEVIĆ

I. Personal details

Name: RAOSAVLJEVIĆ, Predrag

Gender: male

Date and place of birth: 29 January 1979 in Banja Luka, Bosnia and Herzegovina

Nationality: Bosnia and Herzegovina

II. Education and academic, and other qualifications

  • PhD, International Law, University of Belgrade, School of Law, Republic of Serbia (2012): Field: UN Charter
  • LL.M. Master of Laws, Columbia University, Law School, New York City, United States (2005): Field: International Law of Human Rights
  • Law Degree University of Banja Luka, Bosnia and Herzegovina (2001)

III. Relevant professional activities

a. Description of judicial activities

  • Government of Bosnia and Herzegovina: Deputy Human Rights Ombudsman of Bosnia and Herzegovina/ Head of Department for elimination of all forms of discrimination, 2010 – present, Banja Luka, Bosnia and Herzegovina

Job description: investigating citizens’ complaints on violation of human rights and fundamental freedoms, promoting good governance and rule of law, drafting recommendations to public authorities, representing Ombudsmen Institution in court proceedings in implementation of the Law on prohibition of discrimination, drafting amicus curiae briefs, annual and special reports, submissions to UN treaty bodies

  • Commission for passing the Bar Exam, Chair of the Commission, appointed by the Ministry of Justice in 2024, examiner in the field of Constitutional Law

b. Description of non-judicial legal activities

University professor,

  • courses: Public International Law, European Law, EU law, Human Rights clinic,
  • status: assistant professor (2013); associate professor (2018); tenure professor (2024); Home institutions: PIM University and University for Business Studies, Banja Luka, Bosnia and Herzegovina

Guest lecturer, international:

  • University of Cordoba, Law School, Spain 2023
  • University of Texas, Austin, 2019
  • American University, Washington DC College of Law, United States, 2018/19
  • American University, School of International Service, United States, 2019

Member of the European Commission against Racism and Intolerance – ECRI, on behalf of Bosnia and Herzegovina, Council of Europe, Strasbourg, 2013-2018

c. Description of non-legal professional activities

Attaché / Humanitarian Diplomacy Unit, International Committee of the Red Cross, ICRC, Geneva, Switzerland, 2006 – 2007

Intern / Department of Political Affairs/ Security Council Affairs Branch, United Nations Secretariat, New York City, United States, 2005

IV. Activities and experience in the field of human rights

Deputy Human Rights Ombudsman of Bosnia and Herzegovina/ Head of Department for elimination of all forms of discrimination, 2010 – present, Banja Luka, Bosnia and Herzegovina

Member of the European Commission against Racism and Intolerance – ECRI, on behalf of Bosnia and Herzegovina, Council of Europe, Strasbourg, 2013-2018

V. Public activities

a. Public office

b. Elected posts

c. Posts held in a political party or movement

VI. Other activities

Member of the Commission for accreditation of higher education institutions, appointed by the Agency for Development of Higher Education and Quality Assurance of Bosnia and Herzegovina in 2024

Member and vice-president of the Management Board of the University of Banja Luka, 2013-2017

Member and vice-president of the School Board of Banja Luka School of Music, 2008-2012

Academic and professional distinctions:

  • Fulbright Scholar, U.S. Department of State, Washington College of Law, 2018/19
  • Professional development, US Commission on Civil Rights, Washington DC, 2019
  • Professional development, European Ombudsmen, Strasbourg/Brussels, 2018
  • Parker School of Foreign and Comparative Law, Recognition of Achievement, New York City, 2005
  • Stone Harlan Fiske Scholar, Columbia University School of Law Honor, New York City, 2005

VII. Publications and other works

European Human Rights Law, university textbook, 2024

20 publications in the field of International Law, European Law and Human Rights

VIII. Languages

Language

English

French

Reading

C2

C1

Writing

C2

C1

Listening

C2

C1

Speaking

C2

C1

How acquired?

School in the United States

School in Banja Luka, living and working in Geneva

IX. Other relevant information

X. Upgrading language skills

In the event that you do not meet the level of language proficiency required for the post of judge in an official language, please confirm your intention to follow intensive language classes of the language concerned prior to, and if need be also at the beginning of, your term of duty if elected a judge on the Court (please tick the box to confirm).

[X] Yes, I confirm

XI. Residency in Strasbourg

Please confirm that you will take up permanent residence in Strasbourg if elected a judge on the Court (please tick the box to confirm).

[X] Yes, I confirm