Željko Bakalar
Born in Sarajevo in 1977, where he finished elementary school, and attended high school (Treća gimnazija). He graduated in High School Čapljina. He obtained his law degree at the Faculty of Law of Mostar University in 2004 with the graduation thesis on Constitutional law entitled “Election system of Bosnia and Herzegovina”.
The first employment was at the Sarajevo Canton Ministry of Justice and Administration as a trainee (2004-2005). Following the professional traineeship, he acquired working experience in the institutions of Bosnia and Herzegovina: as administrative secretary of the State Border Commission of Bosnia and Herzegovina from 2006 to 2007; as a civil servant at the Secretariat of the Central Election Commission of BiH working on position of senior specialist (2007-2009) and advisor for legal affairs (2009-2011) at the Audit department. During his employment at the BiH Central Election Commission he also worked in the Legal Affairs Department during the elections, dealing with the protection of electoral right (Chapter VI of the BiH Election Law) and the complaints and appeals filed by the voters and political subjects. The Central Election Commission of Bosnia and Herzegovina appointed him deputy director of the Main Counting Center of the BiH CEC for the 2010 General Elections.
He was appointed legal affairs advisor of the Croat member of the BiH Presidency on May 4, 2011 by the Decision of the Croat member of the BiH Presidency.
This work position entailed inter alia advising the member of the BiH Presidency on all legal affairs, focusing primarily on the constitution and legal issues, defense issues, in line with the powers vested in the BiH Presidency, and issues concerning the constitutionality of laws adopted at all levels of authority in Bosnia and Herzegovina, as well as other legal acts in disputes that in line with Article VI.3a) of the Constitution of Bosnia and Herzegovina a member of the BiH Presidency can file with the Constitutional Court of Bosnia and Herzegovina.
In the period from September 1, 2014 to December 31, 2018 he worked as Head of the Human Resources Department of the Secretariat of BiH Presidency.
He was appointed advisor to the Croat member of the BiH Presidency on January 1, 2019 by the Decision of the Croat member of the BiH Presidency.
He was also member of the Commission for strategic planning and development of Novo Sarajevo Municipality (2006-2008).
He was also member of the Legislative-legal commission of the House of Representatives of the Parliament of BiH Federation from among the professional, scientific, cultural and other public workers (2014-2018).
He was appointed member of the Central Election Commission of Bosnia and Herzegovina on May 20, 2020 by the decision of the House of Representatives of the BiH Parliamentary Assembly.
He served as the President of the BiH CEC from July 1, 2020 to March 31, 2022.