In the exercise of the powers vested in me by Article V of Annex 10 (Agreement on Civilian Implementation of the Peace Settlement) to the General Framework Agreement for Peace in Bosnia and Herzegovina, according to which the High Representative is the final authority in theatre regarding interpretation of the said Agreement on the civilian implementation of the peace settlement; and considering in particular Article II.1.(d) of the last said Agreement, according to the terms of which the High Representative shall “facilitate, as the High Representative judges necessary, the resolution of any difficulties arising in connection with civilian implementation”;
Recalling paragraph XI.2 of the Conclusions of the Peace Implementation Council which met in Bonn on 9 and 10 December 1997, in which the Council welcomed the High Representativeąs intention to use his final authority in theatre in order to facilitate the resolution of any difficulties as aforesaid “by making binding decisions, as he judges necessary” on certain issues including (under sub-paragraph (c) thereof) “other measures to ensure the Peace Agreement throughout Bosnia and Herzegovina and its Entities”;
Noting that it was stated in the New York Declaration of 15 November 1999 that it was agreed “that the Presidents will propose to the Bosnia and Herzegovina Parliament and strongly support the creation of a single national passport carrying only the name Bosnia and Herzegovina on its cover in both the Cyrillic and Latin scripts”;
Noting further that at the 6th meeting of the Bosnia and Herzegovina / European Union Consultative Task Force held at Sarajevo on 21 March 2000, among the measures which it was recommended should be taken was that “The Bosnia and Herzegovina Parliamentary Assembly will adopt the necessary amendments to the law on Travel Documents for the creation of a single passport by the beginning of September. New passport will be introduced to the public by the end of year 2000”;
Noting further that it was stated in the Annex to the Declaration of the Peace Implementation Council which met in Brussels on 23 and 24 May 2000 that the Council demanded that the authorities of Bosnia and Herzegovina act promptly on issues including that of beginning “issuance of common passports by the Bosnia and Herzegovina Ministry of Civil Affairs and Communications (September 2000)”;
Noting further that the necessary steps for the issuance of the single passport required by the Amending Law on Travel Documents of Bosnia and Herzegovina (OG of BiH No 27/00) have not been taken by the competent authorities of Bosnia and Herzegovina and the entities by the required date;
Concerned that provision should be made for temporary facilities for the continuing issuance of passports until the single passport becomes available; and
Being aware that the continued issuance of passports on a temporary basis requires a change in law which can be immediately effective;
Having considered, borne in mind and noted all the matters aforesaid, I hereby issue the following:
DECISION
On Amending the Law on Travel Documents of Bosnia and Herzegovina
The Law on Travel Documents of Bosnia and Herzegovina, published in the Official Gazette of Bosnia and Herzegovina (No. 4/97), with amendments published in the Official Gazette of Bosnia and Herzegovina (No. 1/99, No. 9/99 and No. 27/00) is hereby further amended as follows:
Article 1The authorities in charge of issuance of travel documents under Article 13 of this Law may continue to issue travel documents after November 30, 2000 in the form provided for before the amendments published in the Official Gazette of Bosnia and Herzegovina ( No. 27/00) until conditions are met for the issuance of travel documents in accordance with the said amendments.
Article 2Passports issued pursuant to the last preceding article shall not be valid beyond 28 November 2002.
This Decision shall enter into force on the date of its issuance and shall be published in the Official Gazette of Bosnia and Herzegovina and in the Official Gazette of the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina and in the Official Gazette of the Republika Srpska.
| Sarajevo, 12 December 2000 | Wolfgang Petritsch |
| High Representative |
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