The Law on
conflict of interest should be changed by September

Senior Deputy High
Representative, Peter Bas-Backer, met this week with FBiH Prime Minister Ahmed
Hadzipasic and RS Minister of Administration and Local Government, Nebojsa
Radmanovic, to discuss a
concrete plan for adopting the amendments to the Law on Conflict of
Interest.

“It is obvious that we have
very limited time for the Transfer Agreement to be signed by both PMs, adopted
by entity Parliaments, and then to go through the Parliament procedure at the
State level. However, given the importance that the amended Law becomes
applicable from the beginning of the new Assembly mandate
of Cantons, Entities and State, I am convinced that it is worth making
extra-efforts.” said Ambassador Bas-Backer.

Doing this on time
will require co-operation from all levels of government: the RS
Government needs to complete the entity procedure
in as early in August as possible and FBiH should
complete its part this week. CoM then has a role to play
in forwarding to parliament expeditiously, in order to ensure the
State Parliament adopts the amendments in September. “The
stronger and more transparent accountability system  will be in place for
the  new elected
officials  throughout BiH, 
if the current Government and parliamentarians work for it efficiently.
Transfer of competencies to facilitate fight against corruption will be
supported by citizens of both entities” concluded the Senior Deputy High
Representative Peter Bas-Backer.