The High Representative, Paddy Ashdown, has written to RS President Dragan Cavic expressing dissatisfaction with recent public statements by Mr Cavic defending comments made by RS Interior Minister Darko Matijasevic.
“You rightly note that Federation Police Director Zlatko Miletic made public statements of a similar nature some months ago. But you are quite wrong in noting that there were no repurcussions. Mr Milteic’s attention was force a bly drawn to the inappropriateness of his action, at the time and in exactly the same way as that of Mr Matijasevic on this occasion. This has nothing to with the relevance of this matter to alleged war crimes against Serbs, as you wrongly and provactively claim. It has everything to do with the application of proper European and professional standards. I deeply regret that you have sought to make this an ethinic issue when it is a purely professional one.”
“Bosko Ceko likewise made public comments about possible criminal wrongdoing identified in public audits. As I am sure you know, the Public Auditor operates within a legal framework which compels his office to perform financial reviews and to identify and document examples of accounting irregularities. He has no role in the investigation or prosecution of criminal cases and his statements were merely a description of the audit results.”
‘Toby Robinson has indeed made numerous public statements in which she explained her role as Provisional Administrator and described the results of the work she has undertaken in that capacity. But she likewise has no role in the investigation or prosecution of criminal cases.”
“Ministers of the Interior have specific, legal and defined duties and responsibilities to fulfill in respect of the professional handling of police information. From them, the highest standards are required, which, I regret to say, were not achieved on this occasion. We find ourselves at a critical juncture in the fight to restore the Rule of Law. I am sure you will agree that Bosnia can ill afford to see its leaders indulge in public campaigns which threaten the success of criminal investigations, ” concluded the High Representative.