SARAJEVO, Jan 12 (Hina) - The Bosnia Herzegovina Parliament's House of Representatives on Wednesday rejected a bill on the state border police which created assumptions that this legislative document be imposed by a decision of High
Representative Wolfgang Petritsch. The bill, proposed by the three member of the Bosnia-Herzegovina Presidency, was not adopted at today's session because the majority of representatives from the Bosnian Serb entity voted against. At least two thirds of the vote of representatives from each entity is necessary in order that the bill be passed, and Serb representatives previously announced they would vote against it because, in their opinion, the bill was unconstitutional. The United States Embassy in Sarajevo issued a statement upon the end of voting which expressed shock and disappointment by the action of Serb representatives. In our opinion it would have been better if the bill was
SARAJEVO, Jan 12 (Hina) - The Bosnia Herzegovina Parliament's House
of Representatives on Wednesday rejected a bill on the state border
police which created assumptions that this legislative document be
imposed by a decision of High Representative Wolfgang Petritsch.
The bill, proposed by the three member of the Bosnia-Herzegovina
Presidency, was not adopted at today's session because the majority
of representatives from the Bosnian Serb entity voted against.
At least two thirds of the vote of representatives from each entity
is necessary in order that the bill be passed, and Serb
representatives previously announced they would vote against it
because, in their opinion, the bill was unconstitutional.
The United States Embassy in Sarajevo issued a statement upon the
end of voting which expressed shock and disappointment by the
action of Serb representatives.
In our opinion it would have been better if the bill was passed in
the Parliament than if it was imposed by a decision of the
international community, however in the light of today's vote we
are forced to make appropriate conclusions, read the statement.
The United States Ambassador, Thomas Miller earlier in the day
discussed the bill with Republika Srpska Prime Minister Milorad
Dodik who said he had done everything in his power that the bill be
passed.
During their stay in New York in November 1999, the three members of
the Bosnia-Herzegovina Presidency agreed to establish a state
border service. They agreed that first police officers be placed at
border crossings by the end of 1999.
(hina) it