SARAJEVO, Dec 2 (Hina) - The international community's High Representative to Bosnia-Herzegovina, Paddy Ashdown, on Monday proclaimed a new law on the country's Council of Ministers, which expands this body's make-up and its
authorities.
SARAJEVO, Dec 2 (Hina) - The international community's High
Representative to Bosnia-Herzegovina, Paddy Ashdown, on Monday
proclaimed a new law on the country's Council of Ministers, which
expands this body's make-up and its authorities. #L#
The most important change refers to the Council's chairman who will
now be appointed to a four-year term of office as against the
previous eight-month rotation.
The chairman's office will include a standing secretariat in charge
of relations with the European Union. Bosnia will get two new
ministries alongside the six existing ones, of justice and
security.
The introduction of the term "security ministry" avoided the
prescribed name of "interior ministry", Ashdown told reporters in
Sarajevo presenting the new composition of the Council of
Ministers.
The security ministry should be in charge of police tasks, for
instance coordinating the work of the Information and Protection
Agency, the State Border Service, cooperation with Interpol, etc.
Political parties from the Serb entity vehemently opposed the
institution of a state level interior ministry, as well as demands
for the establishment of a single state defence ministry.
Ashdown said the security ministry would not deal with defence
issues, adding the establishment of such a body was a matter of
agreement that had yet to be reached.
(hina) ha sb