The Office of the High Representative in Bosnia and Herzegovina announced after yesterday's decision of the BiH Council of Ministers not to provide funding for October general elections, that "citizens’ rights to free elections must not be questioned."

“The citizens of Bosnia and Herzegovina must be enabled to enjoy their democratic right to free, fair and democratic elections. After the Central Election Commission has called general elections, the Council of Ministers and all its members must meet their obligations without delay and provide the funds necessary to hold the elections. Authorities and elected officials must be accountable to the citizens,” the OHR told N1 television.

State-level ministers from the Croat Democratic Union (HDZ BiH) voted against listing this item on the Council of Ministers’ agenda Tuesday, and the announced telephone session of the BiH Presidency, at which a decision on the order to the Council of Ministers to allocate funds for the elections should have been made, has not been held yet.

The US Embassy to BiH also condemned HDZ BiH’s decision to reject discussing the funding of general elections, calling the decision irresponsible and unjustified.