The BiH Ministry of finance and treasury cannot support the request to finance the 2020 Local Elections from the current budget reserve
Due to the fact that the Budget of BiH institutions and international obligations of BiH for 2020 has not been still adopted, and that consequently the funds for organization and conduct of the 2020 Local Elections have not been secured, the BiH Central Election Commission sent on 30th April, 2020 a letter to the BiH Ministry of Finance and Treasury requesting allocation of the necessary funds from the budget reserve.
The BiH Central Election Commission has today, 14th May 2020, received two letter of the BiH Ministry of Finance and Treasury. The first later, dated 6th May, 2020 read that the BiH Ministry of Finance and Treasure cannot support the request for allocation of funds from the current budget reserve for financing of the 2020 Local Elections. The rationale is that the budget reserve in amount of the 3.428.000 KM annually is set by the Law on Budget of Institutions and International Obligations of BiH for 2019 and that it is significantly below the amount needed for the financing of the 2020 Local Elections. The BiH Ministry of Finance and Treasury refer to Article 17, paragraph (2) of the Law on Financing of Institutions of Bosnia and Herzegovina, which sets forth that the current budget reserve can only be used to finance urgent expenditures and program not set in the budget.
In the letter of the BiH Ministry of Finance and Treasury from 15th April 2020, which was also received on 14th May 2020, the BiH Central Election Commission is inter alia informed that the Law on Financing of Institutions of Bosnia and Herzegovina and International Obligations of BiH is at the time of drafting of the letter in the process of adoption.
The letter of the BiH Ministry of Finance and Treasury are attached to this press release.