|
|
To: | Mr. Elvedin Hrelja
Mayor of Gorazde |
|
Sarajevo, November 29, 1999
|
Dear Mr. Elvedin Hrelja,
For reasons outlined in the attached Decision, we herewith notify you of
the
following: under the powers vested in the High Representative, you are
removed from public office with immediate effect. In addition, in
accordance
with the Provisional Election Commission Rules and Regulations, this
Decision bars you from being a candidate in the upcoming municipal
elections.
It is with great regret that we are forced to acknowledge that during your
term in office not only have you failed to show any commitment to the
implementation of the General Framework Agreement for Peace, but you have
also seriously and persistently obstructed its implementation.
|
Wolfgang Petritsch | Robert L. Barry |
|
High Representative | Chairman of the PEC |
| | OSCE Head of Mission |
In the exercise of the powers vested in the High Representative by Article 5
of the Annex 10 of the General Framework Agreement for Peace in Bosnia and
Herzegovina, according to which the High Representative 'is the final
authority in the theatre regarding interpretation of [the] Agreement on the
civilian implementation of the peace agreement';
Endorsing the interpretation of these powers given in paragraph XI, 2 of the
Conclusions of the Peace Implementation Conference held in Bonn on 10
December 1997, in particular, sub-paragraph c thereof, by means of which the
High Representative is entitled to take actions against persons holding
public office who are found by the High Representative to be in violation of
legal commitments made under the Peace Agreement or the terms of its
implementation;
Noting the reiteration of the acknowledgement of such powers by the Peace
Implementation Council in Chapter X of the Annex to the Madrid Declaration
of 16 December 1998;
Considering the mandate entrusted with the Provisional Election Commission
under Article III of the Annex 3 to the General Framework Agreement for
Peace in Bosnia and Herzegovina and the article 7.10 of the Rules and
Regulations adopted thereafter which provides that no person who has been
removed by the High Representative shall be permitted to be a candidate in
the elections.
We hereby issue the following
Decision
To remove Mr. Elvedin Hrelja from his position of Mayor of Gorazde and to
ban him from being a candidate for the next municipal elections or to hold
any executive office at any level, unless authorised to do so.
This Decision has immediate effect.
Reasons for removal
Mr. Elvedin Hrelja has abused his power by persistently and seriously
obstructing the implementation of the General Framework Agreement for
Peace.
By pursuing an extra-legal agenda, he has consistently refused to take
ownership of the laws of Bosnia and Herzegovina.
In particular,
- Mr. Hrelja Elvedin has totally failed in the policy of Gorazde as an
Open City. Despite huge international investement and the categorization
as
an Open City, City Gorazde has seen minimal return. Specifically, the
authorities have failed to eliminate blatant abuse of housing financed by
the international community.
- Mr. Elvedin Hrelja has actively worked against creating genuinely
democratic and transparent municipal authorities by ignoring the authority
and legitimacy of the Municipal Council.
- Mr. Elvedin Hrelja, in his capacity as Mayor of Gorazde, has
obstructed various initiatives to promote cross-IEBL co-operation with the
muncipality of Srpsko Gorazde. The recent IEBL crisis is indicative of
Mr.
Elvedin Hrelja's ill will towards reconciliation when he refused and
aborted
a number of initiatives taken by the international community in order to
find a solution to the crisis. Mr. Elvedin Hrelja preferred to use every
possible opportunity to radicalise positions rather than to ease already
high tensions.
All of the above establishes a disturbing and unacceptable pattern of
deliberate attempts to obstruct the implementation of the General
Framework
Agreement for Peace. For these reasons, we hereby remove Mr. Elvedin
Hrelja
from the position of Mayor of Gorazde. The Decision will be effective
immediately and will not require any further procedural steps.
The position left vacant by Mr. Elvedin Hrelja's removal will be filled by
the Municipal Council in accordance with the appropriate regulations. In
order to protect the institution to which a replacement is to be elected,
no
further actions are to be taken by the relevant authorities until OHR and
OSCE communicate that there are no objections and that the proposed name
can
proceed through the appropriate process.
Sarajevo, 29 November 1999
|
Wolfgang Petritsch | Robert L. Barry |
|
High Representative | Chairman of the PEC |
| | OSCE Head of Mission |
| 
