SARAJEVO, June 27 (Hina) - The Croat member of the three-man presidency of Bosnia-Herzegovina, Dragan Covic, on Friday took over the chairmanship over the country's collective presidency.
SARAJEVO, June 27 (Hina) - The Croat member of the three-man
presidency of Bosnia-Herzegovina, Dragan Covic, on Friday took
over the chairmanship over the country's collective presidency.
#L#
In accordance to the Bosnian Constitution, Dragan Covic succeeded
the Serb member of the Presidency who chaired that body in the past
eight months. Covic will hold office over next eight months and he
will then be succeeded by the Bosnian Muslim (Bosniak) member.
Thus, Muslim Sulejman Tihic is expected to take over the
chairmanship in February 2004.
During the ceremony on Friday, Dragan Covic said the economic
recovery of the country and the return of refugees would be of top
priority for the presidency in the next eight months. The Croat
representative also voiced confidence that the country would
continue to come closer to the EU in the coming period when reforms
in the tax system and the defence should be carried out.
Before the rotation in the chairmanship of the presidency on
Friday, this body formally ratified an agreement concluded with the
United States on the non-extradition of American nationals to the
recently established permanent International Criminal Court
(ICC). The deal was signed in May, and ratified by both houses of the
Bosnian parliament earlier this month.
(hina) ms sb