On Sunday 4 October 2026, the citizens of Bosnia and Herzegovina exercised their democratic right to elect their representatives who will decide on the direction of their country for the years ahead.
The EU takes note of the preliminary findings and conclusions of the OSCE/ODIHR Election Observation Mission. They show genuine competition and contestants largely able to reach voters. Election day proceeded in an orderly manner, although ICT difficulties, complex procedures in the voting and counting processes, and issues with secrecy of the vote were observed, it was stated in a joint statement by High Representative/Vice-President Kallas and Commissioner Kos on the general elections in Bosnia and Herzegovina.
The EU welcomes the countrywide use of ICT for the first time introduced to address longstanding electoral integrity concerns. However, delays and shortfalls limited transparency in the implementation stage. The EU commends the Central Election Commission’s considerable efforts in carrying out its responsibilities despite the persistent institutional and operational constraints affecting the efficiency and timeliness of its work.
Once the election results have been certified, elected representatives should take full responsibility to form the state-, entity- and cantonal level- authorities without delay. The EU expects all political leaders to engage in this process constructively, in good faith and with the common interests of all citizens in mind. The EU calls on all leaders to foster trust between people and communities, and build consensus to advance Bosnia and Herzegovina on its EU path.
The EU will continue supporting the country on the EU path and cooperate with the new authorities on all EU-related reforms. The EU urges Bosnia and Herzegovina to take all relevant steps set out in the Commission’s 2022 recommendation, in line with the March 2024 European Council decision to open accession negotiations. This would pave the way for the Council to adopt the negotiating framework and to hold the long-awaited first intergovernmental accession conference. Bosnia and Herzegovina is also encouraged to make full use of the EU Growth Plan for the Western Balkans. To avoid the further loss of funds, the country urgently needs to finalise the legal and institutional framework and proceed with implementing the committed reforms. These reforms benefit the quality of life of all citizens of Bosnia and Herzegovina, in line with their EU aspirations.
The EU reiterates its unequivocal commitment to Bosnia and Herzegovina’s EU perspective as a single, united and sovereign country.
