| To: | Mirsad Veladzic Governor Una Sana Canton |
Sarajevo, November 29, 1999
Dear Mr. Mirsad Veladzic,
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.
Sincerely,
| 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 theater regarding interpretation of [the] Agreement on the civilian implementation of the peace agreement‘;
Endorsing the interpretation of this power 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. Mirsad Veladzic from his position of Governor of Una Sana Canton 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. Mirsad Veladzic 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. Mirsad Veladzic, in his capacity as Governor of Una Sana Canton, has systematically obstructed the implementation of the Dayton Peace Agreement on a number of fronts:
- Following the 1997 municipal elections, Mr. Mirsad Veladzic played a key role in obstructing the implementation of the election results, forcing the Election Appeals Sub-Commission to issue a warning to him regarding his interference with election results implementation in Buzim.
- Mr. Mirsad Veladzic has been instrumental in continuous acts of organized violence and intimidation in the northern part of the Canton. In 1998, Mr. Mirsad Veladzic was fined by the Election Appeals Sub-Commission for abetting a negative security climate in Velika Kladusa.
- During 1997 and 1998, the Rule of Law was continuously violated by the Government, generally to the detriment of the northern section of the Canton. Documented abuses were committed by the Minister of Justice, the Minister of Information, the Minister of Urbanism, the Minister of Education and the Cantonal Judiciary in addition to the Ministry of Interior. In his capacity as Governor, Mr. Mirsad Veladzic is ultimately responsible for the overall performance of the Cantonal Government.
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. Mirsad Veladzic from the position of Governor of Una Sana Canton. The decision will be effective immediately and will not require any further procedural steps.
The position left vacant by Mr. Mirsad Veladzic’s removal will be filled in accordance with the legal regulations governing this election. 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 |