SARAJEVO, Oct 6 (Hina) - The High Representative to Bosnia-Herzegovina, Paddy Ashdown, said on Sunday that he would wait for the complete results of Saturday's general election before making any final conclusions. He added that he
would cooperate with all who advocated reforms.
SARAJEVO, Oct 6 (Hina) - The High Representative to Bosnia-
Herzegovina, Paddy Ashdown, said on Sunday that he would wait for
the complete results of Saturday's general election before making
any final conclusions. He added that he would cooperate with all who
advocated reforms. #L#
One should distinguish between the inevitable dissatisfaction with
the pace of reforms and claims that the country is experiencing a
setback to the time of ten years ago, Ashdown told reporters in
Sarajevo, stating that nationalism was not on the rise in the
country.
The High Representative added that reform-oriented governments in
all countries in transition, including Bosnia-Herzegovina, had to
face the burden of unpopularity at one time.
He said that he did not know the exact results of the vote but noted
that cooperation would not be possible with officials who were not
committed to reforms.
Ashdown added that he would cooperate with all elected officials
who advocated and supported reforms.
He stated that in coming days and weeks he would be proposing
measures to be taken in order to speed up the process of reforms in
the country.
The High Representative today announced a decision which
significantly limits the right of elected officials at all levels
to protect themselves with immunity from investigations in cases
when they are suspected of criminal acts.
So far, it has been common practice among officials at all levels of
authority - from municipal councils to the state presidency - to
refuse to appear before a court of law even in cases when they were
suspected to criminal acts which had nothing to do with their
political activity.
As of now, immunity will be enjoyed only by parliamentary deputies
if they can prove that the criminal acts they are suspected of refer
to their duties as parliamentary representatives.
In all such cases local courts will decide about the justifiability
of their referring to immunity.
Ashdown explained that he had made the decision before the
announcement of election results so that he could not be accused of
adopting it to pressure a specific person or party.
(hina) rml