In relation to yesterday's statement of the Party for BiH and SDAon police reform, OHR/EUSR Director of Communications, Frane Maroevic said:

The proposed Police Reform Protocol is based on three-years' efforts by BiH and international officials and experts as well as all documents and positions that have been agreed so far. In addition the Protocol contains proposed solutions to those issues that the BiH politicians have not been able to agree on so far. It is a comprehensive document which encompasses everything that has been agreed so far and offers solutions for issues on which agreement has not been reached.

The Protocol is fair and balanced and should be acceptable to all. Such proposal is unacceptable only to those who aspire to maximalist solutions, ignoring the concept of agreement through compromise, which is the foundation of modern European and world politics. Political bartering with maximalist stances and expecting them to be adopted without any consideration of the situation and positions of others, represents a method that was abandoned in Europe long time ago. Europe is a model of agreement, compromise, respect for all and of ensuring that interests of all citizens are respected.

With regard to the interpretation of the European principles of police reform, we would like to see the political parties adopting this Protocol instead of interpreting the three EU principles, since that is neighter their business nor their competence. The interpretation of the principles is an exclusive competence of the European Commission and its Enlargement Commissioner Olli Rehn, which he clearly stated during the recent visit of High Representative Lajčak to Brussels.

The short time remaining until the end of the month would better be used by the parties to put additional efforts into finding a compromise solution with the view of reaching an agreement, instead of wasting their time on other people's responsibilities and efforts into a media campaign designed to undermine the Protocol.

The Protocol on Police Force Reform in BiH has the full support of EU High Represenative for Common Foreign and Security Policy, Javier Solana and EU Enlargement Commissiner Ollie Rehn, i.e. of the entire EU,  includign the EUPM, that have all confirmed the proposed Protocol was in line with the three EU principles of police force reform.