Results of the joint programme on Efficient Prison Management in Bosnia and Herzegovina, jointly funded by the European Union and the Council of Europe with a budget of €800 000, were presented on Friday in Sarajevo. The programme was implemented by the Council of Europe between 1 February 2009 and 31 December 2010.
Natalia Dianiskova, Head of the EU Delegation’s Section for Social Development, Civil Society and Cross-Border Cooperation, explained that prison management is important for the EU for a number of reasons: „Respecting the rights of every citizens and ensuring that every citizen is treated fairly are fundamental EU principles, she said, and Bosnia and Herzegovina has committed itself to upholding these principles as a signatory of international conventions on human rights.”
Dianiskova went on to note that better prison management is a key element in improving the judicial system. The ultimate goal is that all the EU member countries and those countries that wish to join the EU have a common security area.
„The standard for treatment of prisoners must be the same in every country,“ she said.
She also stressed that the EU Delegation to Bosnia and Herzegovina has examined the report in detail and commented on it, and she urged BiH institutions to make use of the report and act upon it.
Mary-Ann Hennessey, Head of the Council of Europe Office in Bosnia and Herzegovina, said the goal of the programme is to harmonise BiH standards of prison management with standards in the EU.
„Justice must be done, and it must be seen to be done,“ she said.
Hennessy said she was extremely satisfied with the level of cooperation that has been provided by local institutions, especially the prison administration.
Tanja Rakušić Hadžić, Head of the Prisons and Police Unit at the Council of Europe, said prison reform is a key issue for the Council of Europe because of its importance in the effort to establish a modern democracy.
Representatives of the BiH Ministry of Justice said the project had been very useful since progress has been made in harmonising legislation with EU legislation and training BiH inspectors.
Conference participants were informed that at the state level, 20 legal acts in this field have been passed or amended, and the example of harmonising laws has been followed by the entities. Major steps have been taken regarding the supervision and accommodation of prisoners; prison capacity has been increased and construction of the state prison has been initiated. The state prison should be completed by 2013.
