Zero Tolerance

The High Representative, Paddy Ashdown, today announced a series of measures that he is taking in response to the violation of a High Representative’s Decision of30 June 2004, blocking all SDS bank accounts and requiring any financial transaction in excess of 150 KM to be conducted through a single authorised bank account.

The measures announced today are as follows:

–          A letter has been sent to RS Finance Minister Svetlana Cenic requiring a detailed financial report to be delivered to the OHR by 3 October, that identifies the origins of the 17 payments made to, and held illegally by, SDS Doboj.

For each payment there should be a detailed description of each step that was taken, ending with the illegal transaction itself. Written evidence, including bank statements, payment slips should be provided to confirm each transaction.

–          A Decision requiring SDS Doboj to repay to all 17 individuals concerned the full amount of money that was illegally paid to SDS Doboj.

The Decision requires the SDS to deliver a written report to the High Representative by 3 October confirming that the funds have been repaid.

–          A Decision ordering SDS Doboj to submit detailed monthly reports on all financial transactions.

The Decision requires each report to be sent to the OHR, the BiH Election Commission and the RS Ministry of Finance.

–          A Decision requiring all financial transactions by the SDS, regardless of their value and including financial transactions made through the SDS branch offices, to go through the single central account of the SDS.

“Failure to comply with the above will be considered anti-Dayton. The leaders and the members of the SDS must be made to understand that a culture of theft, corruption, and under the table dealings is unacceptable,” said the High Representative. “A zero tolerance policy towards political corruption is in operation – it is a policy which I am confident will have the full support of citizens.”