The EUSR/High Representative today highlighted the crucial role played by the Police Directorate, and repeated that progress on police reform is first of all important for Bosnia and Herzegovina to combat crime and, therefore, also a key requirement for BiH’s EU integration.

He noted that the Police Directorate is a legitimate, technical body, established to produce an implementation plan as required by the Political Agreement, which was adopted by all Parliaments in BiH, including the RSNA on 5 October last year. These obligations are binding.

“I am confident that the work of the Police Directorate will continue, and I have spoken to both PM Terzic and PM Dodik today about this,” said the EUSR/HR. “Questioning or attacking the legitimacy of this body would only delay the implementation of the Directorate’s work plan”.

The views of the RS Government and all other competent authorities are important. But the Directorate allows for RS positions to be represented and reflected, he added.

“We expect that all timelines set in the agreement on police restructuring of 5 October will be respected. Police restructuring is a key requirement for BiH’s EU integration”, he said.