OHR condemns violence
OHR is aware of the reports that the Imam of the Babi-Besir Mosque
was the subject of an assault yesterday morning. OHR condemns all acts of
violence and we look to the competent law enforcement agencies to act to ensure
that the perpetrators are brought to justice.
MPs Can Pay Themselves More When Living Standards Start to
Rise
As you know, the FBiH House of Representatives yesterday adopted the Law on
the Rights of Elected Officials, giving themselves more generous compensation.
This will cost taxpayers several million additional KM each year – that’s
several million KM that can’t be spent on public services. It will also increase
demands from other civil servants for higher salaries.
Voters may conclude that the authorities in this country are more concerned
about their own needs than the needs of citizens. That’s an issue for the
October election. However, in the meantime it is important that the House of
Peoples considers seriously the implications of this bill when it comes before
the House. Budgetary responsibility is a basic prerequisite for attracting
investment and creating jobs in BiH. This bill sends all the wrong signals, to
investors as well as to citizens.
No one is denying that parliamentarians in BiH ought to be paid in an
appropriate way. They have an important and a difficult job to do.
But that applies to teachers and doctors and road workers and postmen too.
The time to consider improving MPs benefits is when living standards as a whole
have started to rise.
This fact should also be borne in mind by members of the BiH Parliament, when
a similar piece of legislation comes before the PA next week.
High Representative Pays
His Respects to Srebrenica Victims
The High Representative and EU Special Representative, Christian
Schwarz-Schilling, will tomorrow visit the Srebrenica-Potocari Memorial and
Cemetery. The High Representative will lay a wreath and pay his respects
to the memory of those who were killed in and around the town
during its siege and after its fall in July 1995.
There will be a photo opportunity during the High Representative’s
visit, at 10.30 on
Other details of this visit will follow later today.
