07/06/1999

Decision on the establishment of the Cantonal Court and Municipal Courts in Konjic, Prozor-Rama, Citluk, Capljina, Stolac and Neum and the Central Zone of the City of Mostar

In accordance with my authority under Annex 10 of the General Framework Agreement for Peace in Bosnia and Herzegovina, and Article XI of the Conclusions of the Peace Implementation Conference held in Bonn on 10 December 1997, I hereby take the following

DECISION

The Cantonal Court of the Herzegovina-Neretva Canton shall be established not later than September 1st, 1999.

The Municipal Courts of Konjic, Jablanica, Prozor-Rama, Citluk, Capljina, Stolac and Neum, and the Central Zone Court of the City of Mostar, shall be established not later than November 1st, 1999.

Starting from the date of the establishment of the Cantonal Court, the provisions of the Law on Courts of the Herzegovina-Neretva Canton concerning the judicial competencies of the Municipal Courts shall be applied accordingly with immediate effect to the current existing Basic Courts.

In an Interim Period, the two current existing Basic Courts of Mostar, will be considered as Municipal Courts for the purpose of the Law on Courts of the Herzegovina-Neretva Canton and the Law on Prosecution of the Herzegovina-Neretva Canton. The national structure of the judges of each Basic Court must reflect the national structure of the population of the municipalities for which that Basic Court has jurisdiction, based on the results of the 1991 census.

In the Interim Period, the current existing Basic Court situated in the west part of the City will be considered as Municipal Court which has territorial jurisdiction for the territory of the Municipalities West, South-west and South and the current Basic Court situated in the east part of the City will be considered as Municipal Court which has territorial jurisdiction for the territory of the Municipalities North, Old Town and South-east.

The Central Zone Court will, as regulated by the Law on Courts of the Central Zone of the City of Mostar,, have jurisdiction over the area of the Central Zone and other areas which are directly administrated by the organs of the City of Mostar.

The length of the Interim Period will be determined by the High Representative at a later date.

All other stipulations of the Law on Courts of the Herzegovina-Neretva Canton shall be applied insofar they are not inconsistent with this Decision.

This Decision enters into force with immediate effect, and it shall be published in the Official Gazette of the Herzegovina-Neretva Canton without delay.

6 July 1999

Carlos Westendorp
High Representative
Sarajevo

Office of the High Representative