EC emphasizes crucual importance of Police
Reform

As many of you know, the EU’s Commissioner for Enlargement, Olli Rehn, has
written to Prime Minister Adnan Terzic, reiterating the three principles
established by the European Commission on the basis of which police reform in
BiH should be carried forward. Police Reform is a key component of BiH’s efforts
to prepare for the negotiation of a Stabilisation and Association Agreement with
the EU.

Commissioner Rhen emphasized that

• Number one:  all budgetary competencies must be
  vested at the state level (so we are talking abut a single police structure)
  
• Number two: police reform should be implemented on
  the basis of geographical regions designated with a view to achieving maximum
  efficiency in policing; and
  
• Number three: there will be no political interference in
  policing.

This letter comes ahead of a visit to

Bosnia and Herzegovina

on 11 March by senior Commission
representatives who will, among other things, be assessing BiH’s progress
towards fulfilling conditions to begin the SAA process.

PDHR Hays to Visit Trebinje and Mostar

The Principal Deputy High Representative,

Donald Hays, will visit Trebinje tomorrow and Mostar on Friday. This
will be the last visit by Ambassador Hays to this part of the country before he
leaves BiH in the middle of March after almost four years here. Ambassador Hays
will meet municipal officials and visit several companies in the course of his
two-day visit. Discussion will cover the continuing and urgent need to improve
the BiH business environment so as to attract investment and create jobs; and
the equally urgent need to develop a robust civil society in this country so as
to improve the standard of politics and help consolidate democratic reforms.

We will be issuing a media advisory today with details of the
visit.