OSCE is an organization which includes 57 countries and I am happy to be the Head of OSCE Mission here in Sarajevo and across BiH, where we have many offices and an opportunity to work with local authorities and citizens of BiH, new Head of OSCE Mission to BiH Ambassador Jonathan Moore said in an interview with FENA.
He emphasized priorities of OSCE Mission to BiH are also priorities of BiH and that OSCE does not have “separate ideas or priorities and they are here to help”.
”We also want to follow priorities of the Euro-Atlantic integration by meeting the highest election standards when it comes to the election law of BiH”, emphasized Ambassador Moore.
He explained there is a separate OSCE Observation Mission to BiH and that head of that OSCE mission, that is, the Election Observation Mission, Corien Jonker arrived in BiH for elections.
”Observers from OSCE will do their job successfully, but apart from role of an observer before and after elections, OSCE also has a permanent role in BiH. We should take care of the needs of BiH and that is why we have special programs related to education, destroying weapons and ammunition, and aid in legal sector”, said Ambassador Moore.
He emphasized that OSCE will do everything in its power with the help of their great team of 300 members of local and international staff that is working in BiH.
Asked if he expects certain complications in sense of errors or abuse of votes during the upcoming elections, Ambassador Moore said there are always some complications in every country.
”Therefore, we find it is important to have as many details as possible at voters’ disposal concerning candidates and conditions for elections”, emphasized Ambassador Moore.
He added they heard about reports on cases of abuse of votes, and that is something that OSCE observers will keep in mind. That happens in many countries, not only in BiH, said Ambassador Moore.
Asked if he expects certain reforms to be adopted after the elections, Ambassador Moore answered it is typical in countries in period before the elections, especially a few weeks or months before, “that unfortunately there is very little room for agreement or compromise”.
”That is also typical for BiH. We hope it will be possible to form the government soon after the elections. Last time, in 2010, that took about 16 months, and of course that is not acceptable, the process should go much faster. In principle, there will be more chances for compromise after the elections than in the pre-election period”, finds Ambassador Moore.
He added that people know OSCE is doing a good job, but OSCE wants all citizens of BiH to know that and they want to answer all questions.
”We have a great team in BiH and we are doing a good job and we want to show that, but at the same time we want to hear and learn from people in BiH how we can improve our work”, said Ambassador Moore.
(Source: Fena)
