7,000 Citizens to Monitor B&H Elections

04 September 2006

According to the civilnodrustvo.ba portal, the October 1 General Elections will be monitored by 7,000 citizen observers from all municipalities in Bosnia and Herzegovina.

�Their presence in the electoral process aims to reduce the possibility for violations of election procedures, increase the public trust in the election process and make the voice of the citizens heard�, said the OKO NGO Coalition at the presentation of the activities surrounding the citizens� monitoring activities.

The OKO Coalition includes the �Solidarity for the South� NGO from Trebinje, �Izvor� from Mostar, �Dar� from Prozor, �Blue Sphere� from Banja Luka, �Duga� Youth Association from Zenica, "Stella" from Istocno Sarajevo and the International youth Association from Sarajevo. The coalition was formed with the specific goals to organize joint activities regarding monitoring of 2006 General Elections.

The representatives of OKO emphasize that their goal is to encourage the citizens to use their voting rights, secure free and fair elections, increase the role of citizens in electoral process, provide feedback, impartial information on irregularities and violations and issue recommendations for improvements in the electoral legislation.

The members of OKO invited the B&H citizens to join the monitoring activities that will include the monitoring of the whole balloting process, vote counting and the work of electoral bodies on ballot day.

Every B&H citizen of voting age, that is not running as candidate in the elections and whose interests concern the regularity of the election process rather than actual results of the elections is eligible to become OKO observer.