The Constitutional Court hereby informs the public that the Vice-President of the Constitutional Court of Bosnia and Herzegovina, Valerija Galić, who turned 70 on 13 October 2026, in accordance with the Rules of the Constitutional Court of Bosnia and Herzegovina, specifically the Decision Amending the Rules of the Constitutional Court of 30 May 2024, which prescribes an exceptional extension of a judge's term of office, will continue to perform her judicial duties until the relevant authority elects a new judge and until the newly-elected judge assumes office.
The Constitutional Court also informs the public that it held its 175th plenary session online today.
At today's session, the Constitutional Court decided on a large number of appeals relating to violations of the right to a fair trial within a reasonable time. In case no. AP-3884/21, the Constitutional Court established a violation of the right to a fair trial in relation to rendering a decision within a reasonable time, given that the civil proceedings, initiated for compensation of damages, lasted 19 years and four months. The Constitutional Court emphasized that the aforesaid duration of the proceedings is a priori contrary to the principle of a 'reasonable time' and could only be justified under exceptional circumstances. Based on the facts of this case, the Constitutional Court did not find such circumstances. Regarding other aspects of the right to a fair trial, the Constitutional Court established that the right to a fair trial was not violated, as the appellants' claims that the ordinary courts acted arbitrarily or 'manifestly unreasonably' were unfounded.
The Constitutional Court also considered and adopted a number of decisions in cases raising the question of the lawfulness of detention.
It also adopted a large number of decisions rejecting appeals as inadmissible because they were manifestly (prima facie) ill-founded, as well as for reasons prescribed in Article 18 of the Rules of the Constitutional Court, which prescribes various grounds for the inadmissibility of appeals.
At today's session, a number of requests for interim measures were also considered and dismissed.
All decisions adopted at this plenary session will be published on the website of the Constitutional Court of Bosnia and Herzegovina and delivered to the appellants within one month of their adoption at the latest.
