FINANCING OF THE 2016 LOCAL ELECTIONS
Sarajevo, September 16, 2015 – As it is already know the year 2016 is the election year when elections in Bosnia and Herzegovina are held for the following levels: municipal/city councils/assemblies, Assembly of Brčko District of BiH and the city/municipal mayors.
Therefore and aimed at functional execution of all EMB’s tasks for administering forthcoming 2016 Elections the BiH Central Election Commission reminds the competent authorities of the legal obligation to plan the funds in the 2016 budgets for the following costs:
Paragraph (3) of Article 1.2a of the BiH Election Law defines that “The budgets of municipalities and cities shall provide for the cost and expense for the conduct of elections by municipal election commissions”, and paragraph (4) of the same Article states that “The Budget of the Brčko District of BiH shall provide for the cost and expense for exercise of the competencies of the Election Commission of the Brčko District and reimbursement costs for the Election Commission and polling stations committees of the Brčko District of BiH pursuant to the Election Law of the Brčko District of BiH”. Provisions of Article 1.2a, paragraph (2) of the BiH Election Law set forth, inter alia, that “The budgets of entities and cantons shall provide missing funds for financing of the obligations.”
On August 13, 2015 the BiH Central Election Commission sent a letter to all competent authorities in BiH reminding them of their legal obligation to provide funds for the conduct of 2016 Local Elections.
Therefore and aimed at functional execution of all EMB’s tasks for administering forthcoming 2016 Elections the BiH Central Election Commission reminds the competent authorities of the legal obligation to plan the funds in the 2016 budgets for the following costs:
- Gross compensation for the members of election commission (work compensations, meal allowance, per diems, etc.),
- Gross compensations for the work of PSC members, noting that this item should be planned in a larger amount than were the funds spent on this item during 2014 General Elections; and
- Other costs (per diems, meal allowances and other costs of the PSC members, conducting training of PCS, rent of the space, overhead vcosts for the polling stations, engagement of other persons on the Election Day – IT specialist, expert teams…., fuel and transportation costs for transport of polling material from the election commission to the polling station, bank fees, procurement of necessary equipment, etc.).
Paragraph (3) of Article 1.2a of the BiH Election Law defines that “The budgets of municipalities and cities shall provide for the cost and expense for the conduct of elections by municipal election commissions”, and paragraph (4) of the same Article states that “The Budget of the Brčko District of BiH shall provide for the cost and expense for exercise of the competencies of the Election Commission of the Brčko District and reimbursement costs for the Election Commission and polling stations committees of the Brčko District of BiH pursuant to the Election Law of the Brčko District of BiH”. Provisions of Article 1.2a, paragraph (2) of the BiH Election Law set forth, inter alia, that “The budgets of entities and cantons shall provide missing funds for financing of the obligations.”
On August 13, 2015 the BiH Central Election Commission sent a letter to all competent authorities in BiH reminding them of their legal obligation to provide funds for the conduct of 2016 Local Elections.