Bosnia holding local elections amid epidemic of coronavirus

NEWS 15.11.202011:22
ANADOLIJA

Polling stations across Bosnia and Herzegovina opened at 7 am Sunday for the elections of the heads of 120 municipalities and 21 cities and local councils as well as for local authorities in the District of Brcko.

In Mostar, however, the elections will take place on December 20.

There are slightly over 3.2 million registered voters in the country who can go to the polls until 7 pm today. Voters who are currently suffering from the coronavirus infection or are self-isolating could apply for voting at home and they will be visited by mobile polling staff.

For the elections to take place, it was necessary to appoint nearly 50,000 members of local polling stations, and the Central Election Commission of Bosnia and Herzegovina has been having problems with that since the number of those infected with coronavirus or in self-isolation has surged in the last week before the election.

In Bosnia and Herzegovina, the number of new infections has exceeded 1,400 every day in the week ahead of the elections, and mid-week a record number of 69 deaths was reported, while thousands of infected persons and their contacts are in mandatory isolation.

A total of 543 political entities have registered to run in the election, including 129 political parties, 72 coalitions and 262 independent candidates.

As many as 30,188 persons are running for different positions, and 425 are running for mayor or municipality head.