In order to ensure that the elections in Bosnia and Herzegovina are conducted professionally, transparently and in accordance with international standards, the OSCE Mission to Bosnia and Herzegovina and the Central Election Commission of Bosnia and Herzegovina (CEC BiH) jointly implemented an extensive program of capacity building of local election administrations throughout the country.
This comprehensive program aims to improve consistency in the implementation of procedures, strengthen electoral administration and ultimately increase the level of public confidence in the electoral process.
Trainings at six locations
More than 470 representatives from 143 municipal election commissions participated in these comprehensive trainings, which were held from November 26 to December 10, 2025 at six locations in BiH: in Sarajevo, Mostar, Bihac, Banja Luka, Teslić and Tuzla.
The trainings focused on the key responsibilities of the municipal election commissions, including the establishment of polling stations and the appointment of mobile teams to ensure the smooth, consistent and effective conduct of the election process.
Representatives of municipal election commissions also discussed ethical standards and election risk management, which are areas of essential importance for preserving the credibility and integrity of elections.
Each participant received a copy of the Manual for the Work of Municipal Electoral Commissions, which is essential for standardizing procedures and strengthening the consistency and transparency of the activities of municipal election commissions throughout the country.
Jovan Kalaba, president of the Central Election Commission of Bosnia and Herzegovina, emphasized that the most important segment of the election process is the education of the election administration:
– Trained election administration is key to the successful implementation of elections – he stated.
Successful and timely preparation
According to Kalaba, thanks to the long-term support of the OSCE Mission in Bosnia and Herzegovina, the Central Election Commission of BiH is able to successfully and timely prepare the members of municipal and city election commissions before every election in BiH for potential challenges and to present them with all new current events in the election process.
Ahmed Rifatbegović, Mission Officer for Political Affairs, highlighted the wider democratic impact of investing in the capacities of municipal election commissions: “By investing in the skills and preparedness of municipal election commissions, we invest directly in the credibility of elections. These trainings help ensure that local electoral bodies have the tools necessary to perform their duties professionally, transparently and in accordance with international standards, ultimately strengthening citizens’ confidence in the democratic process.”
These trainings are part of the Mission’s project entitled “Improving the integrity of the electoral processes in 2024 and 2026 in Bosnia and Herzegovina in accordance with the recommendations of the ODIHR and international standards” and are held with the aim of strengthening the capabilities of municipal election commissions and protecting the integrity of democratic processes in Bosnia and Herzegovina, the OSCE reported. Factor.
