( Editorial: --> 0183 )
SARAJEVO, Sept 13 (Hina) - This weekend's general election in
Bosnia, which was held without any incident, represents a great
step forward for democracy, the international high representative
for Bosnia Carlos Westendorp said on Sunday.
The circumstances under which the election was held were a dramatic
improvement in relation to the election of two years ago, and
demonstrate the maturity of Bosnia's citizens, Westendorp told
reporters in Sarajevo.
He hoped the voters' decision would represent another step forward
and that elected authorities would work towards the completion of
the peace process in the country.
Westendorp said that in view of a general progress noticed in the
implementation of the Dayton peace agreement so far, he expected
further democratisation and strengthening of political pluralism
in Bosnia after the election.
I believe the influence that opposition parties have had in
comparison to the major parties in authority could now double, he
said.
Also present at the press conference was Robert Barry, head of the
Organisation for Security and Cooperation in Europe mission in
Bosnia.
Barry said he considered the just completed election the most
successful one held in Bosnia since 1995, and emphasised that
voters had shown a high level of political maturity.
It is very significant that more than 25 per cent of voters were not
sure for whom to vote by the time they were to cast their ballots, he
said.
This proves that they began giving serious thought to the
alternatives at their disposal and stopped acting solely as members
of an ethnic group, the OSCE mission head said.
The OSCE cannot as yet make an estimate of the electoral turnout,
but Barry believed it would be between 70 and 80 per cent.
The counting of ballots commenced as soon as polling stations
closed at 4PM.
Barry said the counting would continue tomorrow and that first,
preliminary electoral results could be expected on Tuesday
afternoon.
Official ones will be made known in the next seven to ten days.
The final results can be fully trusted, Barry emphasised, adding no
electoral engineering or party manipulation of voters would occur
this time.
It is also important that the media were balanced in informing
voters about the political programmes on offer, he said.
After the electoral results are issued, the high representative has
the obligation to assist in the transfer of authority and ensure the
functioning of newly-elected bodies, Barry said.
The high representative wished for Bosnia's new collective
Presidency to convene soon, if possible as soon as the results are
made public.
(hina) ha
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