06/25/1996 OHR Sarajevo

Statement by the High Representative welcoming the decision by OSCE Chairman-in-Office to certify national elections in BiH on September 14

STATEMENT

by the High Representative, Carl Bildt

Sarajevo, 25 June 1996

I warmly welcome the decision by OSCE Chairman-in-Office Mr. Flavio Cotti to certify national elections in Bosnia and Herzegovina on September 14.

Elections will pave the way for setting up the common institutions of the country forseen in the Peace Agreement, thus making it possible to start the long process of overcoming the partition of the country.

Without early elections, lasting partition seems almost certain.

We must now work hard at improving the conditions for elections. I am particularly concerned with the situation in television, where more needs to be done in order to assure equitable access for all political parties and to provide relevant and objective information to the voters of the country.