The High Representative and EU Special Representative, Valentin Inzko, met with Republika Srpska Prime Minister Milorad Dodik in Banja Luka today. At the meeting the High Representative and EU Special Representative underlined that rejecting the authority given to the High Representative would represent a grievous breach of both the Dayton Peace Agreement and UN Security Council Resolutions.
“The highest levels of international law are at stake,” said the High Representative and Special Representative today. “Rejection of these most basic principles means setting the RS on path of legal uncertainty”
The High Representative and EU Special Representative pointed to the full and unanimous support in the International Community for extension of the mandates of international judges and prosecutors in the war crimes chamber of the Court of BiH and the BiH Prosecutors Office. “There can be no benefit from a strategy of conflict,” he said.
The ICTY called for the extension of the mandates of international judges and prosecutors so the BiH would be able to meets it’s obligations with regard the ICTY closure strategy. During the meeting the High Representative and EU Special Representative noted Prime Minister Dodik earlier statements committing the RS to full cooperation with the ICTY. The High Representative and EU Special Representative underlined that “this support should be demonstrated through action.”
The High Representative and EU Special Representative pointed out that the war crimes strategy adopted by the authorities in BiH would be undermined and the capacity to investigate and try war crimes weakened by a withdrawal of international judges and prosecutors before BiH has embarked on implementing a well prepared nationalisation strategy. “I cannot accept the possibility of victims having to relive the horrors they have experienced again and again because trials are repeated with new judges,” said the HR/EUSR.
“It is clear that we are entering an election year, however this issue is not one on which they should be fought,” said the HR/EUSR today and called for more attention to be paid to relieving the effects of recession, creating jobs and addressing the concerns of the poorest in RS and BiH society.