High Representative and the European Union Special Representative Valentin Inzko met today in Sarajevo with the US ambassador for war crimes, Stephen J. Rapp. In their discussion on war crime issues High Representative and Ambassador Rapp noted that the arrest and transfer of Ratko Mladic to the ICTY remains the priority for Bosnia and Herzegovina.
HR/EUSR Inzko and Ambassador Rapp discussed the BiH War Crimes Strategy adopted in December 2008. HR/EUSR Inzko has said that the adoption of the strategy itself represented a positive move forward. However, during today’s meeting he noted that the strategy is being implemented in a limited way. Necessary amendments to the Criminal Procedure Code have not been adopted yet, and there is no precise information on the overall number of war-crimes cases under investigation in BiH. OHR will continue to monitor the process of implementation of the War Crimes Strategy, HR/EUSR Inzko said.
During the meeting, the recent decision by the House of Peoples of BiH not to adopt amendments that would allow for the extension of mandates of international judges and prosecutors in Bosnia and Herzegovina was also discussed. “Such a decision by the House of Peoples has seriously undermined BiH’s efforts to reinforce the rule of law,” Inzko said.