PIC cites lack of progress in BiH

01/07/2009

The PIC raised red flags over what it views as attempts to roll back reforms and weaken state level institutions.

By Antonio Prlenda for Southeast European Times in Sarajevo -- 01/07/09

The PIC Steering Board met on Monday (June 29th) and Tuesday. [OHR]

Political Directors of the Peace Implementation Council (PIC) Steering Board for Bosnia and Herzegovina (BiH) met in Sarajevo on Monday (June 29th) and Tuesday and expressed concern over the lack of progress made since it last convened in March.

The PIC stressed that BiH must deliver on five objectives -- Sustainable Resolution of the Issue of Apportionment of Property between State and other levels of government; Sustainable Resolution of Defence Property; Completion of the Brcko Final Award; Fiscal Sustainability; and the Entrenchment of the Rule of Law -- and two other conditions prior to transitioning the Office of the High Representative (OHR) into the EU Special Representative (EUSR).

"Until this is completed, OHR will remain in place and it will continue to carry out its mandate," said High Representative to BiH Valentin Inzko after the meeting.

In a statement issued after the meeting, the PIC expressed its concern about the recent conclusion of the Republika Srpska (RS) National Assembly.

"Statements and actions challenging the sovereignty and constitutional order of BiH, as well as attempts to roll back previously agreed reforms and to weaken existing state level institutions… are unacceptable and have to stop. Actions such as these will be taken into account when assessing the second condition set for OHR-EUSR transition, which is a positive assessment of the situation in BiH," the communique said.

Russia's delegation did not join the rest of the PIC on the issue, as it disagrees with that view.

The PIC welcomed the establishment of an inventory working group for state property and the BiH Ministry of Defence's efforts to establish a weapons disposal commission, but noted that neither had made any concrete progress.

Regarding the Brcko District, the PIC said that the area institutions are now functioning what appears to be permanently. However, the entities -- the Federation of BiH and Republika Srpska -- have not yet fulfilled their obligations to resolve mutual debts, allow a change in entity citizenship for Brcko residents, or regulate the supply of electricity. The PIC called on the entities, and the state, to resolve these issues before September.

The board welcomed the recent adoption of four laws required for visa liberalisation, and called on Inzko to facilitate a meeting of relevant party leaders to launch a broader process of dialogue for accelerating further reforms.

"Whilst constitutional reform is not a part of the objectives and conditions for OHR's closure, it remains an essential priority to make BiH more functional state," Inzko said. "BiH is an internationally recognised sovereign state whose territorial integrity is guaranteed by the Dayton Accord. Any challenge to the basic features of the Dayton agreement will be considered as unacceptable, including unilateral actions aiming at endangering the constitutional order of BiH."

The chairman of the BiH Council of Ministers, the speakers and deputy speakers of the BiH parliamentary assembly and leaders of the governing political parties participated in parts of the PIC meeting.

The political directors meet next in November.