The Embassy of the Federal Republic of Germany in Bosnia and Herzegovina welcomes the decision of the High Representative Christian Schmidt to make limited use of Bonn powers to ensure more transparent and fair elections.

- The High Representative consulted extensively with the international community. The measures will help to suppress manipulations. They can help to improve the integrity and thus the credibility of elections. The High Representative's decisions are based on the recommendations of OSCE (ODIHR) and Council of Europe (GRECO) experts.

Free and fair holding of elections is the minimum standard in democracy and cannot be denied to the citizens of Bosnia and Herzegovina. This also strengthens BiH's further reform path toward the European Union, said the German Embassy.

It is stated that, unfortunately, no agreement was reached in the negotiations on the election law in the past few months. They call on the politicians in BiH to take their responsibility so that the citizens of BiH can fully enjoy their civil rights and to now focus their efforts on ensuring the October elections and that in accordance with the applicable laws, which includes the changes made by the High Representative, and in accordance with European standards.

- The incendiary rhetoric we heard from Bakir Izetbegović and Milorad Dodik in the context of discussions on the election law in recent days was irresponsible and must be condemned in the strongest possible terms.

We appeal to all politicians in this country to return to objective discourse, understanding and balance instead of hatred and division, and to work together for the benefit of the citizens of the country in order to bring Bosnia and Herzegovina closer to the EU - the common goal of all citizens of this country - stated the Embassy of the Federal Republic of Germany in BiH.