SARAJEVO, Jan 12 (Hina) - The adoption of constitutional changes enabling the implementation of Bosnia's Constitutional Court decision on all three Bosnian peoples being constituent on the entire territory of the country should be
completed by early March, the High Representative for Bosnia-Herzegovina, Wolfgang Petritsch, said. In an interview with the Sarajevo daily "Dnevni Avaz", Petrisch said he personally had nothing against the establishment of a House of Peoples in the Bosnian Serb entity, however, it was up to domestic politicians to reach agreement on the matter. Petritsch stressed that all leading countries involved in the implementation of the Dayton agreement wanted a symmetrical solution guaranteeing the right of all three peoples to be constituent in both entities. We must see to it that the rights Serbs and Croats enjoy in the Federation are also exercised by Croats and Bosniaks in Republ
SARAJEVO, Jan 12 (Hina) - The adoption of constitutional changes
enabling the implementation of Bosnia's Constitutional Court
decision on all three Bosnian peoples being constituent on the
entire territory of the country should be completed by early March,
the High Representative for Bosnia-Herzegovina, Wolfgang
Petritsch, said.
In an interview with the Sarajevo daily "Dnevni Avaz", Petrisch
said he personally had nothing against the establishment of a House
of Peoples in the Bosnian Serb entity, however, it was up to
domestic politicians to reach agreement on the matter.
Petritsch stressed that all leading countries involved in the
implementation of the Dayton agreement wanted a symmetrical
solution guaranteeing the right of all three peoples to be
constituent in both entities.
We must see to it that the rights Serbs and Croats enjoy in the
Federation are also exercised by Croats and Bosniaks in Republika
Srpska, Petritsch said, adding the quality of the protection of
those rights had to be the same, while protection mechanisms could
be discussed.
Petritsch also expressed satisfaction with the fact that the
decision of the Bosnian Constitutional Court was being discussed in
Croatia as well.
It seems that Croatia, judging from what (Mate) Granic is saying, is
also considering introducing a House of Peoples in its parliament
because I hope Granic would not demand that Bosnian Croats be given
something that Croatian authorities are not willing to give Serbs
in Croatia, Petritsch said.
The High Representative has been criticised both by Bosnian Croats
and Muslims for not giving enough support for their request that a
House of Peoples be established in the Bosnian Serb entity as well.
Petritsch has been accused of being inclined to accept a request by
the Bosnian Serb leadership that a special commission be
established as a working body of the Bosnian Serb parliament to act
as a House of Peoples.
It is believed such a mechanism cannot be as efficient as a
parliamentary chamber.
(hina) rml