The conference “Towards the 2018 General Elections” was organised by the Central Election Commission of Bosnia and Herzegovina and the Council of Europe in Sarajevo, Bosnia and Herzegovina. General elections in Bosnia and Herzegovina will take place on 7 October 2018.

This conference was the opportunity for representatives of municipal and city election commissions from 143 municipalities and cities in Bosnia and Herzegovina to discuss about changes in the electoral regulation, prior to the 2018 General Elections in Bosnia and Herzegovina.

The President of the CEC of Bosnia and Herzegovina, Dr Irena Hadžiabdić opened the conference by thanking all of the representatives of municipal and city election commissions to be present for the pre-election conference presenting the new regulations of the electoral process, because they play a key role in the good conduct of the electoral process.

H.E. Ambassador Drahoslav Štefánek, Head of the Council of Europe in Sarajevo, emphasised the importance of the municipal and city election commissions during the electoral process and priority which has to be given to their continuous training in the Centre for Education of the CEC.

Mr François Friederich, Head of the Electoral Assistance Division of the Council of Europe, reiterated the need of the Council of Europe to promote democratic values of the election process. He emphasised the need for an increase the participation and representation of women.