Political support for this reform was given in October 2005 when BiH’s legislatures approved the Political Agreement on Police Reform.

EU Foreign Ministers expressed concern over the impasse in police reform, and the failure of BiH’s politicians and authorities to back the Police Directorate’s technical discussions as part of the process that the BiH politicians and authorities themselves created.

The OHR/EUSR and the whole international community in BiH maintain their full support for the work of the Police Directorate, which is an indispensable element in ensuring that the police reform that has a professional basis and is technically sound.

“We must look now at how to move to the next stage” the High Representative/EU Special Representative said today. “The Directorate will complete its report by the end of next month. This report represents a milestone in the October 5 Agreement. At its conclusion this process must uphold the three EU principles on police reform”.

BiH politicians must now start building a consensus that will enable the Police Directorate to finish its work. This is the way to overcome the impasse in police restructuring to enable the conclusion of a Stabilisation and Association Agreement.

“This is the message that I and other representatives of the International Community are passing to BiH’s Political leadership” said the High Representative/EU Special Representative today.