SARAJEVO, Oct 7 (Hina) - The international community's High Representative to Bosnia-Herzegovina ascribed the success of national parties at last weekend's general election to citizens' disappointment over slow reforms more than to
their renewed support to the nationalism that ruled the 1990s.
SARAJEVO, Oct 7 (Hina) - The international community's High
Representative to Bosnia-Herzegovina ascribed the success of
national parties at last weekend's general election to citizens'
disappointment over slow reforms more than to their renewed support
to the nationalism that ruled the 1990s. #L#
The first preliminary results of Saturday's ballot were published
on Sunday evening, confirming the considerable superiority of the
Party of Democratic Action (SDA), the Croatian Democratic Union
(HDZ), and the Serb Democratic Party (SDS).
Speaking to reporters on Monday, High Representative Paddy Ashdown
said the results were the voice of protest against what the ruling
coalition had been unable to do.
Ashdown maintains Bosnia's citizens have lost patience and demand
quicker and all-encompassing reforms which will improve living and
security.
It begs the question whether the incumbent authorities were
punished for having done too much or too little, said the British
diplomat.
One cannot speak about a real increase in support to national
parties as two of three this time won considerably less votes than
at earlier elections, said Ashdown.
Although he declined to name the parties, it is obvious he referred
to SDS and HDZ.
Ashdown stated SDA was the only party to have scored a real success,
which he attributed to the fact that this party had made the biggest
turn from the right to the centre.
The election results should not be considered as surprising as
there is not one transition country in which a reformist government
was elected twice in a row, said Ashdown.
Asked if the international community had perhaps not contributed to
the success of national parties, the High Representative conceded
that some mistakes had indeed been made.
The priority after the war should not have been the establishment of
democracy through as many elections as possible, but the
establishment of the rule-of-law, said Ashdown.
He added this experience was all the more significant considering
that crime was a bigger threat to Bosnia at the moment than
nationalism.
Ashdown called on political parties to form the new government as
soon as possible so that necessary reforms could be carried out as
quickly as possible.
He also stated that newly elected officials would be evaluated by
their actions and not by what they say.
(hina) ha