PIC urges BiH to amend constitution in line with European Convention on Human Rights

The Peace Implementation Council (PIC) Steering Board urged Bosnian authorities and politicians Thursday (December 23rd) to ramp up efforts to harmonise the country’s constitution and elections legislation with the European Convention on Human Rights. The PIC noted that a year has passed since the European Court of Human Rights ruled that the constitution, created as an annex to the Dayton Peace Agreements, discriminates against minorities. The court upheld a complaint filed in 2006 by Dervo Sejdic, who is of Roma origin, and Jakob Finci, who is Jewish. They claimed that the constitution does not allow people who are not Bosniaks, Croats or Serbs to participate in elections for the tripartite presidency or for the upper house of parliament.