Home > 1.1.3 Submission of candidatures > BOSNIA & HERZEGOVINA- Joint Opinion on amendments to the Election Law
 
 
 
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Paragraph 6
 

Article 25(b) of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR), which is part of the Constitution of Bosnia and Herzegovina, provides that every citizen, without unreasonable restrictions, has the right “to be elected”. Both the OSCE/ODIHR and the Venice Commission have previously expressed concerns about limitations on the right to be elected.[5] However, the issue is virtually moot as most of the limitations expired on 31 December 2007. Regardless, an additional limitation on the right to be elected has been introduced by the amendments. Article 6 provides an additional limitation by expanding the current limitations in Article 1.8 of the Election Law. This amendment adds the category of “notary” as a person who cannot be a candidate until the person resigns the position of notary. The legislation regulating the powers of a notary has not been reviewed. It is recommended that careful consideration be given to whether this prohibition is a reasonable restriction on the right to be elected.[6]