Election commission says conflicts of interest dog BiH foreign minister, others

25/04/2008

SARAJEVO, Bosnia and Herzegovina (BiH) -- The Central Election Commission (CEC) said on Thursday (April 24th) that it has confirmed a conflict of interest involving Foreign Affairs Minister Sven Alkalaj, Deputy Defence Minister Igor Crnadak and Deputy Civil Affairs Minister Senad Sepic. The commission has banned the three from holding or seeking any other public office for four years. The CEC first expressed concerns about the trio during a vetting process in February.

Alkalaj's name routinely pops up whenever rumours of a cabinet shake-up surface. He most frequently faces accusations of discriminating against Bosnian Serbs in his ministry. Critics also accuse him of hiding dual citizenship with Croatia. (Dnevni Avaz - 25/04/08; Fena, RTRS, NTV Hayat - 24/04/08)