Warwickshire councillor is Balkan bound
County Councillor Martin Heatley is switching the world of Warwickshire politics for a high profile role in Europe after having been selected to take part in election monitoring in Bosnia and Herzegovina.
Cllr Heatley sits on the Committee of the Regions within the European Union and as part of this position has been selected to take part in the election monitoring.
The Environment Portfolio Holder on the county council is flying out to Sarajevo tomorrow ahead of the elections taking place on Sunday.
He said: “The election monitoring entails using tact and diplomacy to be able to check on any possible irregularities during the election process, and make sure the elections take place in a peaceful and honest way.
“I’m one of a group of elected European members to have been selected for this important task and I see it as a huge honour. Many of the western Balkan states have indicated their wish that at some time in the future they may wish to become fully integrated into the EU.
“Peaceful elections in these countries gives a good indication of the stability of the country.
“It is most important that elected members from member countries of the EU take careful note of the elections in these emerging countries, particularly in light of their desire to become members of the EU.”