The Central Election Commission (CEC) of Bosnia and Herzegovina has issued a new round of financial penalties against political parties and candidates over violations of election rules, including premature campaigning and the use of children in political content. The latest BiH Election Commission fines include penalties against the Secure Srpska Movement (PSS), the People and Justice party (NiP), and the Strength of the People, Ramo Isak party, as well as several individual candidates.
CEC Issues New Fines to Parties and Candidates
PSS received fines totaling 15,000 KM in two separate cases involving political content in which children appeared. In the first case, the CEC fined the party 10,000 KM after candidates published photographs from political gatherings that included children. Candidates who shared photographs from an event involving Adrijan Basara were fined 3,500 KM, while Mirna Savić Banjac and Tanja Palačković each received fines of 3,000 KM.
In a separate case, PSS was fined another 5,000 KM after children appeared in posts published on the party’s social media accounts. Party candidate Draško Stanivuković was also fined 4,000 KM in connection with the same violation. The CEC also fined NiP 4,000 KM for premature campaigning, while the Strength of the People, Ramo Isak party received a 4,000 KM fine over the use of children for political purposes. Its candidate Edin Kajević was fined an additional 4,000 KM after sharing photographs featuring children.
The latest decisions are part of a broader series of sanctions issued by the CEC during the 2026 election period. Earlier in September, the commission imposed additional fines on multiple political parties and candidates over premature campaigning, social media activity, the use of children in political material and other alleged breaches of election rules.
The CEC has emphasized that political parties, candidates and other participants must comply with the rules governing election activities. The official campaign for the 2026 general elections began on September 4 and will run until 7:00 a.m. on October 3, when the election silence period begins. The elections themselves are scheduled for October 4. The commission has warned that violations of the Election Law can result in financial penalties and, in certain circumstances, measures such as removing candidates from lists or revoking the certification of political subjects.
The appearance of children in political material has become one of the issues monitored by election authorities during this election cycle. The CEC has previously issued sanctions in cases involving children in political content, while election monitoring organizations have also raised concerns about premature campaigning, the use of public resources and political activities in public institutions. Under Bosnia and Herzegovina’s Election Law, campaigning before the official campaign period is prohibited, including through electronic, online and print media and social networks.
Election Preparations Continue Ahead of October 4
Alongside the latest BiH Election Commission fines, the CEC also addressed several practical preparations for election day. The commission approved an increase in payments for polling station board members, setting the fee for operators at 310 KM. It also selected a group of companies to provide printing and packaging services for candidate lists under a contract valued at 102,558 KM excluding VAT.
The commission also reported that all election scanners had arrived in Bosnia and Herzegovina. According to the CEC, the distribution of scanners and ballots to municipal and city election commissions is scheduled to begin on September 27, as preparations continue for the October 4 vote.
Some CEC members also raised concerns about the commission’s priorities during the session. Vanja Bjelica Prutina and Željko Bakalar argued that greater attention should be directed toward allegations concerning the trading of positions on polling boards and preparations for the elections rather than focusing primarily on individual premature campaign cases. Their comments highlighted the range of administrative and regulatory challenges facing election authorities ahead of voting day.
The latest penalties underline the CEC’s continued monitoring of political activity and social media content during the 2026 election period. With the general elections scheduled for October 4, political parties and candidates remain subject to campaign rules, while election officials continue preparations for voting and the introduction of new election technology. The decisions also show that sanctions can apply both to political organizations and individual candidates when the commission determines that election rules have been violated.
