se times
17/11/2010
US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton and Austrian Foreign Minister Michael Spindelegger say it’s time to put constitutional reform on the front burner.
(AP, VOA, DPA, Xinhua, Emg.rs, US Department of State - 16/11/10; Reuters, AP - 15/11/10)
US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton and Austrian Foreign Minister Michael Spindelegger say it’s time to put constitutional reform on the front burner.
(AP, VOA, DPA, Xinhua, Emg.rs, US Department of State - 16/11/10; Reuters, AP - 15/11/10)
The time is ripe for Bosnia and Herzegovina (BiH) to make a new push towards constitutional reform, the top diplomats of the United States and Austria said, following talks in Washington on Tuesday (November 16th).
For years, the international community has been urging leaders of the main Bosniak, Serb and Croat parties to agree on changes needed to strengthen the country's central institutions and make it a more functional state.
The Dayton Peace Accords, which ended the 1992-1995 conflict in the former Yugoslav republic, left BiH split into two highly autonomous entities -- the Federation of BiH, shared by Bosniaks and Croats, and the Serb-run Republika Srpska (RS). Each has its own parliament, government and president. In addition, there is a national parliament, a weak central government and a tripartite presidency, sitting in Sarajevo, whose members represent the three main ethnic groups.
"We all believe that there needs to be constitutional reform in order for the government to function more effectively," US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton said at a joint press briefing with Austrian Foreign Minister Michael Spindelegger on Tuesday.
The EU, which also believes that BiH must fix its dysfunctional system of government, has made constitutional reform a key condition for progress on the path towards eventual membership.
In 2006, the leaders of the main Bosnian political parties agreed on a package of changes, aimed at strengthening the country's central institutions and improving their efficiency, but they were never adopted. Last year, the United States and the EU launched a new initiative to end the long-running political stalemate, but it also failed to produce a deal.
Spindelegger, whose country is organising a conference on reconstruction and stabilisation in the Balkans to be held in Berlin in early December, said that following the October 3rd general elections in BiH, the time is right for the country to address that issue.
"They are forming a new government, and this is the right moment just to give them advice that we are expecting constitutional reforms," the Austrian diplomat said. "There is also the time to give some pressure to them to do so."
Hardline Bosnian Serb politicians have been largely blamed for the failed attempts at reaching a compromise, as they remain opposed to any constitutional changes that could reduce their entity's high degree of autonomy.
Milorad Dodik, who served as RS prime minister over the past four years, has repeatedly threatened to call a referendum on the entity's secession from BiH.
Taking office as RS president on Monday, he reiterated his strong support for the country's continued ethnic division, even if it would doom BiH's EU prospects.
"Those who dream about a unitary Bosnia and Herzegovina and hope to strip the Serb Republic of its authorities under the disguise of European integration should know that we will never, and at no condition, give up our autonomy, even at the cost of not joining the EU," he told the RS parliament.
For years, the international community has been urging leaders of the main Bosniak, Serb and Croat parties to agree on changes needed to strengthen the country's central institutions and make it a more functional state.
The Dayton Peace Accords, which ended the 1992-1995 conflict in the former Yugoslav republic, left BiH split into two highly autonomous entities -- the Federation of BiH, shared by Bosniaks and Croats, and the Serb-run Republika Srpska (RS). Each has its own parliament, government and president. In addition, there is a national parliament, a weak central government and a tripartite presidency, sitting in Sarajevo, whose members represent the three main ethnic groups.
"We all believe that there needs to be constitutional reform in order for the government to function more effectively," US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton said at a joint press briefing with Austrian Foreign Minister Michael Spindelegger on Tuesday.
The EU, which also believes that BiH must fix its dysfunctional system of government, has made constitutional reform a key condition for progress on the path towards eventual membership.
In 2006, the leaders of the main Bosnian political parties agreed on a package of changes, aimed at strengthening the country's central institutions and improving their efficiency, but they were never adopted. Last year, the United States and the EU launched a new initiative to end the long-running political stalemate, but it also failed to produce a deal.
Spindelegger, whose country is organising a conference on reconstruction and stabilisation in the Balkans to be held in Berlin in early December, said that following the October 3rd general elections in BiH, the time is right for the country to address that issue.
"They are forming a new government, and this is the right moment just to give them advice that we are expecting constitutional reforms," the Austrian diplomat said. "There is also the time to give some pressure to them to do so."
Hardline Bosnian Serb politicians have been largely blamed for the failed attempts at reaching a compromise, as they remain opposed to any constitutional changes that could reduce their entity's high degree of autonomy.
Milorad Dodik, who served as RS prime minister over the past four years, has repeatedly threatened to call a referendum on the entity's secession from BiH.
Taking office as RS president on Monday, he reiterated his strong support for the country's continued ethnic division, even if it would doom BiH's EU prospects.
"Those who dream about a unitary Bosnia and Herzegovina and hope to strip the Serb Republic of its authorities under the disguise of European integration should know that we will never, and at no condition, give up our autonomy, even at the cost of not joining the EU," he told the RS parliament.
Dodik, who has often challenged the authority of the top international envoy in BiH, blamed High Representative Valentin Inzko for the stalled reform process and for impeding its EU integration progress.
"It is hard to accept that any authority outside Bosnia can impose laws on legally-elected institutions," he said. "We do not accept any more the imposition of laws and decisions by the High Representative in the Serb Republic."
In her remarks Tuesday, Clinton, who visited BiH less than ten days after last month's elections there, reiterated Washington's support for Inzko.
"I made it clear when I was in Sarajevo that we support the continuation of the Office of High Representative until there is such time when we believe that the government is willing to address the issues that are still unresolved amongst the various communities," she said.
This content was commissioned for SETimes.com.
"It is hard to accept that any authority outside Bosnia can impose laws on legally-elected institutions," he said. "We do not accept any more the imposition of laws and decisions by the High Representative in the Serb Republic."
In her remarks Tuesday, Clinton, who visited BiH less than ten days after last month's elections there, reiterated Washington's support for Inzko.
"I made it clear when I was in Sarajevo that we support the continuation of the Office of High Representative until there is such time when we believe that the government is willing to address the issues that are still unresolved amongst the various communities," she said.
This content was commissioned for SETimes.com.
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