19.07.1999

Decision suspending Mehmed Alagic from his position as Mayor of Sanski Most and banning him from holding any public office in BiH

Mr. Mehmed Alagic Mayor of Sanski Most Municipality

Dear Mr. Alagic,

On repeated occasions, my Office has encouraged you to support implementation of the Dayton Accords, respect the Rules of the Road, and promote the Rule of Law within Bosnia and Herzegovina and within your municipality.

As you did not support these principles, on July 9 I wrote to you urging that you resign or suspend your functions in accordance with standard European legal practice. You failed to do so. On July 19 I received a letter from you in which you again demonstrated that you are not committed to the implementation of the Dayton Accords and the Rule of Law in Bosnia and Herzegovina.

I also note that I clarified to the Municipal Assembly that your claim to immunity is invalid according to the Cantonal Constitution (Art.8 and 13) and the 5 July 1999 FBiH Supreme Court Decision in the case against Fikret Besirevic. Since my letter was addressed both to you and to the President of the Municipal Assembly, I expected you to set an example and voluntarily renounce immunity in case the municipality failed to do so. Neither you, nor the municipality, rose to your responsibilities under the law.

The Rule of Law and the eradication of corruption are central aims of peace implementation in 1999. You conduct is contrary to these aims and threatens to undermine the legal and judicial system in Bosnia and Herzegovina.

For these reasons, I hereby suspend you from your office in accordance with my authority under Annex 10 of the General Agreement for Peace in Bosnia and Herzegovina, and Section XI of the Conclusions of the Peace Implementation Council held in Bonn on 10 December 1997, and forbid you temporarily to exercise the functions of mayor and to hold any public office within Bosnia and Herzegovina, effective immediately. As you have been suspended from office, you are not allowed to appoint a temporary replacement and I declare you authorization of 16.07.1999 (Ref.no. 01-05-1495/99) to be invalid. The Municipal Assembly is hereby authorized to appoint a suitable mayor pro tempore for Sanski Most.

Your suspension will remain in effect until you are otherwise notified in writing by the High Representative.

Yours sincerely,

Carlos Westendorp High Representative

cc. Mr. Alija Izetbegovic, member of the Presidency of Bosnia and Herzegovina
Mr. Ivo Andric-Luzanski, President of the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina
Mr. Ejup Ganic, Vice-President of the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina
Mr. Mirsad Veladzic, Governor of Canton 1
Mr. Muhamed Lemes, President of the Municipal Assembly, Sanski Most
Mr. Suljo Babic, Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina

Office of the High Representative