Sarajevo, 6 November 2026 – The Council of Ministers of Bosnia and Herzegovina has officially appointed three permanent agents to represent the country before the European Court of Human Rights (ECHR) effective 15 October 2026. The new team consists of Monika Mijić, Tihana Lolić and Amer Hasanefendić, who will serve as senior officials within the Ministry for Human Rights and Refugees.

Monika Mijić, who has acted as Bosnia and Herzegovina’s ECHR representative since December 2020, received a full mandate for the first time. Mijić first appeared in the role in the early 2000s and has been repeatedly re‑appointed as acting representative, most recently after a controversial dismissal and reinstatement in March 2024. Her tenure has been marked by legal challenges from members of parliament and legal scholars who cite article 55a of the BiH Law on Administration, which limits acting appointments to three months with a single extension in exceptional cases. The recent appointment resolves those disputes by granting her a permanent status.

Tihana Lolić, previously employed by the Prosecutor’s Office of Republika Srpska, was named acting representative in June 2026 after Bojan Bajić stepped down at his own request. Lolić scored 127.25 points in the civil‑service competition that preceded the appointments, tying with Mijić for the highest score.

Amer Hasanefendić, who has been acting in the position since March 2024, also earned a permanent post with 126.83 points in the same competition. All three candidates were selected by the Agency for the Civil Service of Bosnia and Herzegovina, which conducted the merit‑based assessment, although the Council of Ministers holds the final appointing authority.

The appointments end a prolonged period during which Bosnia and Herzegovina was represented at the ECHR only by acting officials. The lack of a full‑time mandate had drawn criticism after the Kovačević v. Bosnia and Herzegovina judgment, when Mijić and her colleague Jelena Cvijetić filed an appeal to the Grand Chamber. The controversy even led Democratic Front MP Zlatan Begić to file a criminal complaint against Council President Borjana Krišto and other ministers.

In addition to her new permanent role, Mijić was a candidate for two seats on the Constitutional Court of Bosnia and Herzegovina in April 2026, underscoring her prominence in the country’s legal‑political arena.

The three agents will now lead the Representation Office of the Council of Ministers before the ECHR, handling cases involving human rights violations, refugee issues, and other matters that affect Bosnia and Herzegovina’s compliance with European human‑rights standards.

Sources (learn more):

klix.ba — https://www.klix.ba/vijesti/bih/imenovano-troje-agenata-bih-pred-evropskim-sudom-u-strazburu-medu-njima-i-monika-mijic/261106101