OHR Press Releases
10/30/2003
Brcko Reconstruction and Return Task Force Completes its Mission
The Acting Supervisor of Brcko, Gerhard Sontheim, today announced that the Reconstruction and Return Task Force of OHR Brcko (RRTF) will close on 31 December 2003. Effective 1 January 2004, authority and responsibility for reconstruction and return will rest exclusively with the Brcko District authorities.
The Reconstruction and Return Task Force [...]
10/30/2003
Substantial Completion of Property Law Implementation verified for Domavljevac-Samac, Vukosavlje and Orasje
The OSCE, OHR, UNHCR and CRPC would like to acknowledge and extend congratulations to Domaljevac-Samac, Orasje, and Vukosavlje for substantially completing Property Law Implementation. The substantial completion of Property Law Implementation is an important affirmation of the rule of law in Bosnia and Herzegovina.
The review and verification of D [...]
10/17/2003
RSNA votes against European Standards in Broadcasting
The vote in the RSNA last night, as with the vote in the Federation Parliament the day before, is a vote against Europe.
The vote is a transparent attempt to gain control over RTRS, and the OHR condemns it.
Under the current legal framework, the RSNA has exceeded its authority in demanding resignations of the Board of Governors, the Director ge [...]
10/16/2003
Parliament Failing Europe’s test
The Office of the High Representative views the amendment to the Law on Radio-television of the Federation of BiH proposed by Mirnes Ajanovic and adopted by the FBiH Parliament yesterday - as a step away from Europe.
It is contrary to European standards for parliaments to dictate the editorial policy of the public broadcasters. This is yet anothe [...]
10/10/2003
OHR Reminds that the Amendments to the PBS Laws Require Harmonisation
The Office of the High Representative welcomes the engagement of the RS Communications Minister, Dragan Solaja’s, advisory group in the PBS reforms process.
However, the OHR wants to make a number of points clear ...
10/03/2003
High Representative urges BiH leadership to adopt proposed defence Reforms
The High Representative, Paddy Ashdown, today urged Bosnia and Herzegovina’s political leaders to adopt proposed defence reforms as soon as possible. The High Representative was speaking after a meeting earlier today between the Chairman of the Defence Reform Commission (DRC) and the Chairman of the BiH Council of Ministers. During the meeting, DRC [...]
10/01/2003
High Representative Appoints Gerhard Sontheim Acting Brcko District Supervisor
The High Representative, Paddy Ashdown, has appointed Mr. Gerhard Sontheim Supervisor of Brcko District in an acting capacity until that position is filled on a permanent basis. His appointment follows the departure of Supervisor Henry L. Clarke.
Since July 2000, Mr. Sontheim has held the position of Deputy Head of the Office of the High Represen [...]
10/01/2003
RS and FBIH reach same ratio of PLIP at end August
The Property Law Implementation ratio at the end of August 2003 reached 88 percent. In Brcko District, 96 percent of all property claims have been resolved, while in the Republika Srpska (RS) and in the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina (FBiH), the implementation rate now stands at 88 per cent.
Out of 224,000 claimed properties in Bosnia and H [...]
09/26/2003
High Representative Congratulates Defence Reform Commission
The High Representative, Paddy Ashdown, has extended his congratulations to the members of the Defence Reform Commission following their agreement on recommendations for the draft BiH Defence law.
The Commission members, chaired by American expert James Locher, signed the report containing the recommendations, on Thursday evening.
“If these rec [...]
09/26/2003
High Representative Calls for European Standards in Public Broadcasting Reform
The OHR welcomes the decision by RS Communications Minister Solaja to establish a group to advise him on the reform of the public broadcasting system of BiH, and in particular on how that reform process will benefit RTRS. The OHR takes this opportunity to underline that any solution has to be in line with European standards and the Dayton Peace Ag [...]