SARAJEVO, Oct 9 (Hina) - The international community's High Representative to Bosnia-Herzegovina, Paddy Ashdown, on Wednesday outlined a set of tasks the country's new authorities have to execute within six months if the international
community is to accept them as real partners.
SARAJEVO, Oct 9 (Hina) - The international community's High
Representative to Bosnia-Herzegovina, Paddy Ashdown, on Wednesday
outlined a set of tasks the country's new authorities have to
execute within six months if the international community is to
accept them as real partners. #L#
Addressing representatives of foreign companies which have started
investing in Bosnia or plan to, Ashdown reiterated that the results
of the Oct. 5 elections did not mean that Bosnia was returning to
nationalism and the past, as most domestic and foreign media
suggest, but that it was a clear expression of the majority's wish
to put and end to confusion and resume with reforms.
If those who won the election fail to realise that, they will meet
the same fate as the previous government and Bosnia will lose the
last chance to progress, becoming a backward Balkan province
instead, said the British diplomat.
He stated the entire international community was completely
unanimous as to what Bosnia had to do immediately to reform into a
modern and democratic state.
Ashdown outlined six priorities whose implementation, he said, did
not encroach upon the essence of the Dayton peace accords but did
start from the fact that those accords were the foundation and not
the roof of the state and could, therefore, be expanded.
The Council of Ministers, which has to date functioned as a mere sum
of entity interests, should transform into an efficient
government.
Ashdown suggested that the new government should function in a
smaller make-up, a prime minister and three key ministers, while
the rest would be expanded to include new ministries, in line with
the country's needs.
The new authorities are also requested to completely reorganise the
existing customs system, which is strictly divided by boundary
lines between the two entities and which enables embezzlements
between 300 million and 600 million convertible marks, Ashdown
said, indirectly announcing that customs would be united.
The new authorities are also requested to carry out a tax reform and
introduce Value Added Tax.
Ashdown also announced the establishment of parliamentary
commissions which would monitor if newly-elected politicians are
amassing wealth due to their offices.
The judiciary should also be reorganised, with the establishment of
a state level court by the end of the year at the latest. The law on
state service should also be fully carried out to prevent politics
from affecting state employees.
Ashdown concluded that only a positive response to those proposals
would show if the politicians were honest when ahead of the election
they pledged they would support and implement reforms.
(hina) ha sb