SARAJEVO, Aug 25 (Hina) - The Croatian Democratic Union (HDZ) of Bosnia-Herzegovina has been fined 20,000 euros because its members participating in the authorities of Central Bosnia Canton failed to implement by August 23 an
instruction about the unification of schools divided according to ethnicity.
SARAJEVO, Aug 25 (Hina) - The Croatian Democratic Union (HDZ) of
Bosnia-Herzegovina has been fined 20,000 euros because its members
participating in the authorities of Central Bosnia Canton failed to
implement by August 23 an instruction about the unification of
schools divided according to ethnicity. #L#
The international community's High Representative in the country,
Paddy Ashdown, told reporters in Sarajevo on Monday that he was
forced to make such a decision because HDZ officials in Central
Bosnia had ignored his request to implement, until the start of the
new school year, measures aimed at administrative unification of
schools which operated separately although they were under the same
roof.
Unlike their party colleagues in the authorities of Central Bosnia
Canton, HDZ officials in the authorities of Herzegovina-Neretva
Canton have met this request, which arises from the country's
obligations following admission to the Council of Europe.
The head of the OSCE Mission in the country, Robert Beecroft, has
said that the only school in Herzegovina-Neretva Canton whose
status has not been regulated yet is Mostar's classical programme
high school, which will be discussed in coming days.
Should the authorities of Central Bosnia Canton fail to fulfil the
request until August 29, the HDZ will be fined an additional 20,000
euros for every day of delay. These are funds which the HDZ, as a
parliamentary party, receives from cantonal, entity and state
budgets.
Ashdown has said he will consider additional measures if no
progress is made by the end of the week. Both Ashdown and Beecroft
insist on the fact that unification refers exclusively to the
administration of 52 schools which operate separately under the
same roof.
Unification means the appointment of a single headmaster, a single
governing board and a single administration, Beecroft said.
Ashdown was adamant that unification did not challenge the right to
use one's mother tongue and curriculum.
(hina) rml