INTERNATIONAL COMMUNITY SUPPORTS BOSNIAN ELECTORAL LAW DRAFT

SARAJEVO, Oct 20 (Hina) - The Peace Implementation Council (PIC) Board of Administration endorsed the draft of a permanent electoral law for Bosnia-Herzegovina, assessing it would strengthen the responsibility of politicians who intend to run for at elections, the Office of the High Representative (OHR) in Bosnia said in a statement on Wednesday. The draft was discussed by foreign ministry political directors of PIC Board of Administration member-countries, High Representative Wolfgang Petrisch, and the head of the Organisation for Security and Cooperation in Europe Mission to Bosnia, Robert Barry. All voiced their support to the draft which was made by Bosnian and foreign experts. The OHR statement says the new law will promote higher responsibility on the part of politicians, including open lists of candidates at all levels, electoral units from which several candidates will be elected, a more significant role of women, the limiting of funds which may be spent in the electoral campaign, and the preferential voting system for Bosnia's Presidency. The law will furthermore recognise the constitutional and legislative rights of all Bosnian citizens, from all constituent peoples, as well as others, the statement adds. The PIC Board of Administration welcomed the possibility to have refugees vote for bodies of authority in municipalities in which they lived before the war, as well as the call on all parties to cooperate with the war crimes tribunal in The Hague. The Bosnian parliament is now held responsible for undertaking urgent measures which will lead to the passing of the draft in its present form, because, says the statement, this is of considerable importance for Bosnia's access to the Council of Europe. The OHR announced the original form of the permanent electoral law draft will be presented to the Bosnian Presidency, the Bosnian Council of Ministers, and the Bosnian parliament on Thursday. It will later be made public. (hina) ha