OHR Press Releases

The OHR fully supports the statement issued by NATO HQ Sarajevo (NHQSa) earlier today, in which NHQSa expressed concern over recent statements reportedly made by one member of the BiH Presidency.

The High Representative, Paddy Ashdown, held a meeting this morning at the OHR with eight former police officers, representing the former police officers who had gathered to demonstrate outside the OHR.

The High Representative has extended the mandate of Joly Dixon as Chairman of the Governing Board of the Indirect Taxation Authority until 31 March 2006. The Decision, which takes immediate effect, allows for an essential continuity of function of the Governing Board during the initial and most crucial stage of VAT introduction.

The OHR asked for the dismissal of the Prime Minister of Bosna-Podrinje canton and the Prime Minister of Zenica-Doboj canton because the Assemblies of both cantons refused to dismiss the Prime Ministers despite having been told by the Election Commission that they were ineligible to hold their posts.

The Senior Deputy High Representative Martin Ney today expressed his disappointment over the events following the attendance of the BiH Minister of Defence and his staff at the RS Day events on 9, January, 2006.

The OHR welcomes the launch, on 1 January, of Bosnia and Herzegovina’s new VAT system. Introducing VAT is a key precondition for BiH’s further integration in Europe, but – just as important – it can deliver real benefits to the people of BiH long before full membership of the EU becomes a reality.

Following a request by Prime Minister Adnan Terzic, the High Representative, Paddy Ashdown, has issued a Decision amending the Law on Police Officials of Bosnia and Herzegovina. This technical amendment will ensure that police experience - and not general work experience - is the relevant criterion for awarding ranks to police officials.

2005 has been a pivotal year for Bosnia and Herzegovina. In October, after many months of delay, a political agreement was finally reached on police restructuring that opened the way for negotiations with the European Union to begin in November. This presents a historic opportunity for BiH – one that many believed itcould never achieve.

The OHR welcomes the Decision of the Municipal Assembly of East Ilidza, by which 120 acres of land were given for the construction of the BiH State Prison.