The bishops of the Bishops’ Conference of Bosnia and Herzegovina have called upon the faithful to approach the upcoming general elections in BiH conscientiously, responsibly, and in a spirit of Christian maturity, emphasizing the importance of the common good, the protection of human dignity, the equality of peoples and citizens, and the rule of law.
In a message addressed to priests, religious men and women, and the laity, the bishops reminded everyone that participating in elections is both a civic right and a duty, urging citizens to inform themselves about political platforms and to decide, according to their own conscience, to whom they will entrust their political support.
The Church does not dictate to the believer whom to vote for, the bishops emphasized, recalling the teachings of the Second Vatican Council, according to which the Church is neither identified with the political community nor bound to any specific political system, KTA reports.
The message states that when deciding whom to support politically, one should consider the stance of candidates and political options regarding Church teaching on the dignity of every person, the protection of human life from conception to natural death, marriage and the family, the right of parents to raise and educate their children, social justice, and care for the poor and most vulnerable.
Among the important issues, the bishops also highlighted freedom of religion and conscience, the rule of law, and the promotion of peace, reconciliation, and the common good.
They specifically drew attention to demographic challenges and emigration, as well as economic and social security, emphasizing the need to create conditions in which people would not be forced to leave their homes to secure a dignified life for themselves and their families. Addressing the electoral process, the Bishops’ Conference of BiH emphasized that it must be fair and enable all citizens and peoples to genuinely exercise their political rights in accordance with the Constitution of BiH.
“Only a Bosnia and Herzegovina that respects the equality of the constituent peoples, their right to legitimate political representation, and the equal dignity and rights of every citizen and people can be a truly democratic and stable state,” the message states.
The bishops called upon politicians and candidates to serve the common good responsibly, warning that political authority must not be subordinated to personal or party interests.
They cited the outvoting of smaller ethnic groups, vote-buying, political clientelism, the misuse of public assets and institutions for party purposes, and any form of manipulation of citizens’ free electoral will as phenomena incompatible with a responsible approach to politics.
They issued a special appeal to priests and religious men and women to safeguard the sanctity of liturgical celebrations and the dignity of church spaces during the pre-election period.
Churches and other church premises, they emphasized, must not serve as venues for party or election campaigning, nor should priests and religious men and women use their ecclesiastical office or authority to promote specific political parties or candidates.
The bishops also called upon participants in the election campaign to refrain from using church events and premises for promotional purposes.
In concluding their message, they urged the faithful to maintain peace and mutual respect during the pre-election period, stressing that differing political views should not lead to divisions among families, friends, and neighbors, nor disrupt the unity of parish communities.
