OHR's Statement at the International Agencies’ Joint Press Conference in Banja Luka

The Federation House of Representatives is meeting today to discuss a temporary budget for the first three months of the year.


Earlier, on 26 December, Muhamed Ibrahimovic, speaker of the Federation House Representatives, had written to the High Representative asking him to use his powers to impose a Decision on Temporary Financing for the period January-March 2007 that was adopted by the Federation Government on 24 December.


As acting High Representative, Ambassador Lawrence E. Butler yesterday wrote to both Mr Ibrahimovic and Spomenka Micic, deputy speaker of the Federation House of Peoples, stating that: “The High Representative’s position on such matters has consistently been not to intervene in problem-solving where solutions are the political, legal and moral responsibility of Bosnia and Herzegovina’s elected leaders and/or local authorities.”


Ambassador Butler urged them to turn to the leadership of the political parties represented in the Parliament and/or cantonal assemblies to make clear to them when they must finalise the establishment of both houses of the Federation Parliament in order to prevent the crisis that Mr Ibrahimovic referred to in his letter.


“The power to resolve this blockage lies firmly in your and their hands,” Ambassador Butler concluded.

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