SARAJEVO, April 16 (Hina) - The Office of the High Representative to Bosnia and Herzegovina (OHR) has requested that the parliaments of the Bosnian Federation and Republika Srpska hold sessions before Thursday and adopt amendments to
entity constitutions in keeping with the so-called "Sarajevo Agreement" on constitutional amendments.
SARAJEVO, April 16 (Hina) - The Office of the High Representative to
Bosnia and Herzegovina (OHR) has requested that the parliaments of
the Bosnian Federation and Republika Srpska hold sessions before
Thursday and adopt amendments to entity constitutions in keeping
with the so-called "Sarajevo Agreement" on constitutional
amendments. #L#
OHR spokeswoman Alexandra Stiglmayer stated on Tuesday that April
18 was the definite deadline by which constitutional amendments
were to be implemented so that elections, scheduled previously,
could be held in October.
The OHR will request that the parliaments of both entities convene
before Thursday and end debates and voting in keeping with the set
deadlines so that the Election Commission will be able to announce
the date of elections that same day, Stiglmayer told journalists.
How parties will vote on Thursday will determine which of them will
be a partner to the international community, she said, adding that
it was evident only nationalist parties were not interested in
normalising circumstances in Bosnia.
The Party of Democratic Action (SDA) and the Croatian Democratic
Union (HDZ) have openly announced they will vote against the
proposed amendments, while the Serbian Democratic Party (SDS) has
taken the same stance, but with a somewhat more cautious approach.
The party founded by Radovan Karadzic has opted to defend the
amendments it adopted ten days ago in the parliament of Republika
Srpska, at any cost, ignoring some of the fundamental provisions of
the "Sarajevo Agreement" which should guarantee equality for Croat
and Bosniaks in that entity.
(hina) sp sb