OHR Press Releases

Due to the failure by BiH Education Minister Nikola Lovrinovic (HDZ) to respect the deadline for the issuance of the Instructions to commence the rationalization of school administrations in Central Bosnia Canton, the High Representative, Paddy Ashdown, today issued a Directive which reduces party funding for the HDZ at the State and Federation lev [...]

The Banja Luka OMI, in close co‑operation with the PLIP agencies, has successfully identified nearly 2000 multiple claims for the same property. All of these claims will be subtracted from the Official July PLIP statistics. This is an important achievement and will result in a substantial increase in the Banja Luka implementation rate.

The High Representative, Paddy Ashdown, today welcomed Ambassador Jacques Andrieu as the new Deputy High Representative and Head of OHR Office South. Ambassador Andrieu takes over from Ambassador Jean-Pierre Berçot, who has been appointed as Ambassador of France in a West African country.

The High Representative Paddy Ashdown has today welcomed the decision taken yesterday that will help make a reality of BiH’s commitment to fight organised crime, trafficking and terrorism by strengthening operational capacity at the state level.

The High Representative, Paddy Ashdown, welcomes Ambassador Werner Wnendt as the new Senior Deputy High Representative. Ambassador Wnendt takes over today from Ambassador Gerhard Enver Schrömbgens. The High Representative wishes to commend Ambassador Schrömbgens for the diligence and flair he brought to a broad range of responsibilities. Among the [...]

The Chairman of the Expert Commission on Intelligence Reform,Kalman Kocsis, on Friday presented a draft Law on Intelligence and Security Agency to the High Representative, Paddy Ashdown. The Commission, which was established by the High Representatrive on 29 May and tasked with producing a draft law by 1 August, has spent the last two months layin [...]

The Indirect Taxation Policy Commission (ITPC), within the timeframe set by the High Representative when he established the Commission in February, has completed a draft Law on the Indirect Taxation System in Bosnia and Herzegovina. The draft Law enables the Indirect Taxation Authority (ITA) to administer customs and, ultimately, value added tax, i [...]

The High Representative, Paddy Ashdown, on Friday made it clear that although the Commission charged with producing a statute for the city of Mostar has failed to reach agreemant on a workable draft, a permanent settlement that protects and advances the interests of all Mostar's citizens must be found. Since municipal elections will be held next ye [...]

Looting of apartments and houses remains a serious problem throughout Bosnia and Herzegovina. The PLIP agencies (OHR, UNHCR, OSCE and CRPC) in cooperation with ministries of interior are launching a public-information campaign aimed at curbing this problem. Because of looting, many returnees have had to pay for additional repairs or wait for extra [...]

Deputy High Representative and Head of OHR (S), Ambassador Jean-Pierre Bercot, is strongly disappointed with the fact that the City Council of Mostar didn't have enough responsibility and political wisdom at its last session to make some concrete decisive steps in the unification of Mostar. Namely, at this session of the City Council precondition [...]