The High Representative has agreed with the European Union Police Mission Commissioner Sven Fredrikson a mechanism to allow the EUPM to recommend the removal of police officers, officials, and their responsible superiors, found to be acting outside the Dayton Peace Agreement. The High Representative informed Presidents, Prime Ministers and Parliamentary Speakers at State and Entity level of this decision late last week.
The BiH Government pledged support for the proposition that any police officer who fails to meet the standards of integrity and competency required by the Dayton Peace Agreement should be removed when it met with the Steering Board of the Peace Implementation Council in Sarajevo on 23 September last year. This pledge gives significant support to the EUPM in their two strategic priorities: helping the police guarantee the security of returnees and tackle organised crime and trafficking.
Issuing this decision the High Representative said, “I am particularly conscious of the need to develop and promote the capacity of the domestic civilian police authorities of BiH to assume full responsibility for disciplinary and other removal processes. My decision therefore provides the removal of officers, as a last resort, if the EUPM Commissioner sees that the proper internal Police disciplinary proceedings are not undertaken, are obstructed, or are unfair.” Under this decision, those failing in their responsibility to ensure full and fair investigations and disciplinary proceedings may likewise be removed from their posts at the request of the EUPM Commissioner.