The European Court of Human Rights in Strasbourg ruled that the human rights of Azra Zornić have been violated. Zornić sued the state of Bosnia and Herzegovina for discrimination, because, according to the constitution, she could not run for the House of Peoples and the Presidency of BiH since she does not identify herself as a member of any of the three constituent peoples.
The Strasbourg Court found that the case of Azra Zornić is identical to the Sejdić-Finci case, in which members of the Jewish or Roma people sued BiH because of the inability to run for executive positions in the country.
“Of course, the stain would be even greater if the general elections would not be held at all in BiH. In this case, citizens would be denied the right to vote in general, which would also be wrong,” Inzko highlighted.
Given that, according to the Constitution of Bosnia and Herzegovina, only members of the constituent peoples (Bosniaks, Serbs and Croats) can be candidates in the elections for the bodies of executive power, Inzko says that “it is discrimination,” stating that it is not good if all citizens have the right to vote but not all have the right to be elected.
So, Inzko adds, the Trial Chamber decided that “this discrimination has to be removed,” and with six votes in favor and one against Azra Zornić decided that all citizens of Bosnia and Herzegovina should have the right to run for the Presidency and the House of Peoples.
(Source: Fena)
