OSCE MONITORS CONFIRM REGULARITY OF BOSNIA ELECTION

SARAJEVO, Sept 16 (Hina) - The Sept 14 election were technically well organised and properly conducted, OSCE Monitor Mission coordinator Edward van Thijn told a Sarajevo news conference on Monday. #L# "No major irregularities have been recorded at any of the polling stations," he said. A thousand OSCE monitors inspected over 3,000 polling stations in 87 out of 109 Bosnian municipalities on Sunday, according to van Thijn. "Election rules have been respected at 97 percent of the polling places inspected by our monitors, and the local election committees have been very professional about their tasks," he said. However, monitors observed that a certain number of citizens were not allowed to vote because their names did not figure on voters' lists, van Thijn said. The former mayor of Amsterdam and Dutch home secretary was particularly "disappointed" at the small number of voters crossing entity boundaries, chiefly owing to restrictions of the freedom of movement. "This problem ought to be dealt with before the municipal elections," he said. Referring to certain inflammatory pre-election statements by Serbian Democratic Party leaders, Thijn noted that OSCE's task was to proclaim election results and to appoint new officials. "I think we should insist that SDS leaders such as Mr. Krajisnik clearly affirm their allegiance to the Dayton Constitution of Bosnia-Herzegovina before they are so appointed," he said. But the general atmosphere was far from reflecting the expected democratic conditions, van Thijn said. "These elections are but one step forward on the path toward democracy, which is sure to be long and difficult," he concluded. (hina) as 162025 MET sep 96