ZLATKO LAGUMDZIJA APPOINTED CHAIRMAN OF BH COUNCIL OF MINISTERS

SARAJEVO, July 18 (Hina) - Bosnia's Foreign Minister Zlatko Lagumdzija was appointed on Wednesday Chairman of the country's Council of Ministers after receiving majority support in the parliament's House of Representatives for his candidacy, proposed by the state Presidency. Lagumdzija's appointment was supported by all political parties which are part of the country's ruling Alliance for Changes while the Serb Democratic Party (SDS) and Croatian Democratic Union (HDZ) voted against. In his inaugural speech, Lagumdzija said the main task of the Council of Ministers under his chairmanship would be the introduction of European standards in the work of state institutions and the definition of state and entity powers. Special attention will be paid to the return of refugees, the fight against organised crime and the continuation of cooperation with the Hague war crimes tribunal, he said. There are no major changes in the make-up of the Council of Ministers as proposed by Lagumdzija, apart from Bozidar Matic being replaced as the Minister of the Treasury by Ante Domazet, a professor at the Sarajevo School of Economics. (hina) rml