OSCE BH DENIES IT IS IRRATIONALLY SPENDING MONEY EARMARKED FOR ELECTIONS

SARAJEVO, Aug 22 (Hina) - The implementation of general elections in Bosnia-Herzegovina, to be held in November this year, will approximately cost DM16 million and the majority of the money will be spent in the country, spokesman of the Organisation for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) mission in Bosnia-Herzegovina Luke Zahner said Tuesday. About 90 percent of the amount will be spent in Bosnia-Herzegovina, Zahner told a press conference and at the same time denied certain media statements that the OSCE was irrationally spending funds earmarked for organising the elections. Such accusations appeared after it was confirmed that ballots for elections in November would be published in Hungary. Bids for tenders for the publishing of ballots were accessible to everyone, however, not in the papers, but on the Internet, said Zahner. The OSCE Permanent Secretariat in Vienna was in charge of the publishing of the bid and representations of member countries of the organisation should have informed their governments of this issue, Zahner explained the rules in line with which the OSCE acted. Zahner confirmed that other preparations for general elections were proceeding in line with the schedule, including a check-up of candidates. So far, the OSCE discovered, that due to different reasons, the candidacy of 562 of about 6000 persons running for offices on different levels of the authority was disputable. The spokesman said complains of the Party of Democratic Action (SDA) had no foundations. The SDA claimed that its representatives have been particularly criticised and added that additional information was asked for only 20 persons for the candidacy list of this party. (hina) it jn