Transcript of the International Agencies’ Joint Press Conference

OHR/EUSR, Eldar Subasic

EUFOR, David Fielder

OSCE, Mersiha Causevic

ICTY, Matias Hellman

 

 


 


OHR/EUSR


 


HR/EUSR to Visit Banja Luka Tomorrow, Address RSNA


The High Representative and EU Special Representative, Miroslav Lajčák will be in Banja Luka tomorrow, where he will address the Republika Srpska National Assembly and answer questions from MPs. The event is scheduled for 11:00 hrs and will be carried live on RTRS.


Having addressed a joint session of the BiH Parliament earlier this month, the HR/EUSR wishes to continue his dialogue with elected representatives at all levels.  Following his address to the RSNA tomorrow, he will be speaking in the FBiH Parliament on 2 October.


In his address to the RSNA tomorrow, the HR/EUSR will lay out a possible way out of the present impasse and back to the process of European integration.


The HR/EUSR will stress that Entity Parliaments have an important and legitimate role to play in resolving the current stalemate and taking the country forward.


Parliamentarians are facing a stark choice between heading straight into isolation or catching up with other countries in the region in making progress towards the European Union.


The HR/EUSR will stress that integration is a road that parliamentarians can take if they so choose; and it is surely a road that the citizens of BiH, of all backgrounds, want to take. Time is running out, and he consequences of continuing blockages are serious for the whole country. 


During his visit to Banja Luka, the HR/EUSR will also meet with BiH Presidency Member Nebojša Radmanović, Prime Minister Milorad Dodik and RSNA Speaker Igor Radojičić. 


HR/EUSR welcomes CEFTA ratification by the BiH House of Peoples


 


The HR/EUSR welcomes the approval for the ratification of CEFTA by the BiH House of Peoples yesterday.  


 


The Agreement will contribute to increased competitiveness and help attract direct foreign investments by applying international trade system rules. All these are preconditions for creating new jobs and fostering economic prosperity. 


 


The development of a functioning market economy is also key requirement for European integration.


 


By joining forces with other countries to create a regional free trade zone, Bosnia and Herzegovina is following in the footsteps of the founding members of CEFTA, who have all since become full members of the EU and enjoy standards of living that are incomparably higher than they were a decade ago.  


The HR/EUSR now looks forward to a speedy completion of the ratification procedure by the BiH Presidency.


 


EUFOR


“Bosnia and Herzegovina on the path towards the European Union”


It is with great pleasure that EUFOR announces the commencement of a school competition for all children within BiH in three age categories sharing a common theme of promoting a stable multi-ethnic BiH on the path to EU membership.


The theme for this project is “Bosnia and Herzegovina on the path towards the European Union”.  It is seen as a key message towards generating awareness amongst the population in BiH about the benefits of advancing towards EU integration.


Many excellent prizes are on offer and include trips abroad to Italy, France and Slovenia, computers and mountain bikes.  EUFOR has funded this project along with a number of EU member states Embassies including Denmark, France, Germany, Holland, Italy, Poland, Spain, Slovenia and the United Kingdom.


The competition officially launched on 3 September 2007 with this earlier phase allowing teachers time to prepare the knowledge of their students about the EU, the LOT houses and EUFOR.  However, now the competition begins in earnest.  Posters are being distributed by the Ministries of Education throughout BiH that will advertise this competition which will complete on 31 October 2007.  After this a judging and filtering stage will occur with final decisions and prizes awarded on 30 November 2007.


Prizes will be awarded in the following categories:


Years 1-4 (age 6-10) who should prepare a picture.

Years 5-9 (age 11-15) who will be asked to produce a poster and a slogan.

Years 10-13 (age 16-19) who may develop a community project or write an essay.

  



OSCE


First BiH Report “Education Inspectors: A Neglected Resource” Published Today


The OSCE Mission to Bosnia and Herzegovina has produced the report entitled Education Inspectors: A Neglected Resource: Overview of Status and Activities of Education Inspectors in Bosnia and Herzegovina.


Education inspectors are the first control mechanism in case of violation, misinterpretation, or non-application of the law regulating pre-schools, primary and secondary schools, as well as higher education. They are fundamental to the sound functioning of the education system, yet they are not efficiently used.


The report outlines data obtained by the OSCE Mission to BiH, based on interviews with teaching staff, school directors, parents, school boards and government officials. The report also contains a set of recommendations necessary for improvement of the work of education inspectors in BiH. One example is the importance of amending legislation in order to articulate more clearly the status, authority, responsibilities and the role of this body.


Education inspectors must be guaranteed independence to ensure detailed inspections and respect for their decisions. The risk of political interference has to be eliminated.


The first two-day conference on “The Role of Education of Inspectors in BiH” starts in Mostar tomorrow where the report will be presented and discussed. The press opportunity will take place on 27 September at 13:15, Hotel Ero, in Mostar.


The full report can be downloaded at www.osce.org.


 


ICTY


Good morning on behalf of the ICTY.


As you may know already, on Thursday this week the Tribunal will render two judgements.


At 2pm on Thursday, the Appeals Chamber will render its judgement in the case of Limaj et al. In the first-instance judgement delivered on 30 November 2005, both former KLA commanders Fatmir Limaj and Isak Musliu were found not guilty of all charges regarding their alleged involvement in crimes committed at the Llapushnik/Lapušnik prison camp in Kosovo in 1998. The Trial Chamber found Haradin Bala, a guard at the camp guilty of torture, cruel treatment and murder and sentenced to 13 years’ imprisonment.


At 3:30pm on Thursday, Trial Chamber II will deliver its judgement against three former JNA military commanders Mile Mrkšić, Miroslav Radić and Veselin Šljivančanin. They are charged with persecutions, extermination, murder, torture, inhumane acts and cruel treatment allegedly committed after fall of Vukovar in November 1991, including the killing of at least 264 persons removed from the Vukovar hospital.


Four cases concerning crimes committed in Bosnia and Herzegovina are ongoing this week. The trials of Rasim Delić and Popović et al. are sitting from Monday till Friday and the trial of Prlić et al. from Monday till Wednesday.


This morning a witness called by the Trial Chamber is testifying in the case of Dragomir Milošević, the former commander of the Sarajevo-Romania Corps. The prosecution and defence have earlier finished the presentation of their evidence and the closing arguments of the parties have been scheduled for 10-11 October.


That is all from me, thank you for your attention.

Europa.ba