02/10/2024 Session
PACE today congratulated the authorities of Bosnia and Herzegovina for the pace of reforms since 2022, which has allowed the opening of the accession negotiations with the EU in March 2024. However, it remains concerned about “the lack of progress in some areas crucial for the functioning of democratic institutions”, and has therefore decided to pursue its monitoring of the honouring of obligations and commitments by this country.
Regretting that the 2022 elections were held for the fourth time under a legal and constitutional framework in violation of the European Convention on Human Rights, PACE called on the authorities of Bosnia and Herzegovina to bring the electoral legislation in line with the Convention, and to eliminate discrimination based on ethnic affiliation or failure to meet a combination of ethnic affiliation and place of residence in elections for the Presidency and the House of Peoples.
Adopting a resolution, based on the report by Zsolt Németh (Hungary, EC/DA) and Aleksandar NIkoloski, (North Macedonia, EPP/CD), PACE also called on the authorities to intensify the fight against corruption, and to “ensure the proper functioning of the Constitutional Court of Bosnia and Herzegovina”, in line with the Venice Commission's opinions on the method of electing judges and on issues relating to the functioning of the Court.
Finally, as regards to the protection of human rights, PACE joined the UN General Assembly Resolution on the genocide committed in Srebrenica in 1995 and invited authorities to continue reforms to eliminate all aspects of segregation and discrimination in education. The Assembly also encouraged the establishment of a common core curriculum in history and prohibiting the honouring in the school curriculums of individuals convicted of genocide, crimes against humanity and war crimes.