EC emphasizes crucual importance of Police Reform
As many of you know, the EU’s Commissioner for Enlargement, Olli Rehn, has written to Prime Minister Adnan Terzic, reiterating the three principles established by the European Commission on the basis of which police reform in BiH should be carried forward. Police Reform is a key component of BiH’s efforts to prepare for the negotiation of a Stabilisation and Association Agreement with the EU.
Commissioner Rhen emphasized that
- Number one: all budgetary competencies must be vested at the state level (so we are talking abut a single police structure)
- Number two: police reform should be implemented on the basis of geographical regions designated with a view to achieving maximum efficiency in policing; and
- Number three: there will be no political interference in policing.
This letter comes ahead of a visit to Bosnia and Herzegovina on 11 March by senior Commission representatives who will, among other things, be assessing BiH’s progress towards fulfilling conditions to begin the SAA process.
PDHR Hays to Visit Trebinje and Mostar
The Principal Deputy High Representative, Donald Hays, will visit Trebinje tomorrow and Mostar on Friday. This will be the last visit by Ambassador Hays to this part of the country before he leaves BiH in the middle of March after almost four years here. Ambassador Hays will meet municipal officials and visit several companies in the course of his two-day visit. Discussion will cover the continuing and urgent need to improve the BiH business environment so as to attract investment and create jobs; and the equally urgent need to develop a robust civil society in this country so as to improve the standard of politics and help consolidate democratic reforms.
We will be issuing a media advisory today with details of the visit.