SARAJEVO, Oct 24 (Hina) - The referendum of Bosnian Croats, which would be organised by political parties, would have no legal validity and could be considered part of a pre-election campaign in the best case, spokespeople for the
Office of the High Representative (OHR) and the OSCE Mission to Bosnia-Herzegovina told reporters in Sarajevo on Tuesday. The statement was made following Monday's announcement by the head of the Croatian Democratic Union of Bosnia-Herzegovina (HDZ BiH), Ante Jelavic, regarding an assembly of Bosnian Croats, to be held in Novi Travnik late this week, which should decide whether a referendum on the future constitutional position of the Bosnian Croat people will be organised. If someone wants to extort constitutional changes in this way, we can only say that there are adequate mechanisms for that and the results of such a referendum would not be binding for anyone, said OHR spokeswom
SARAJEVO, Oct 24 (Hina) - The referendum of Bosnian Croats, which
would be organised by political parties, would have no legal
validity and could be considered part of a pre-election campaign in
the best case, spokespeople for the Office of the High
Representative (OHR) and the OSCE Mission to Bosnia-Herzegovina
told reporters in Sarajevo on Tuesday.
The statement was made following Monday's announcement by the head
of the Croatian Democratic Union of Bosnia-Herzegovina (HDZ BiH),
Ante Jelavic, regarding an assembly of Bosnian Croats, to be held in
Novi Travnik late this week, which should decide whether a
referendum on the future constitutional position of the Bosnian
Croat people will be organised.
If someone wants to extort constitutional changes in this way, we
can only say that there are adequate mechanisms for that and the
results of such a referendum would not be binding for anyone, said
OHR spokeswoman Alexandra Stiglmayer.
The Croat Peasants' Party of BH headquarters in Sarajevo denied
that its representatives would participate in the debate about the
referendum whereas representatives of the New Croat Initiative
(NHI) did not attend Monday's meeting the HDZ BiH organised in
Mostar.
The OHR believes the referendum announced by the HDZ BiH can only be
an act of testing the public opinion. Wasting energy on such debates
only shifts attention from real problems in this country, she
said.
OSCE Mission spokesman Luke Zahner said some activities directed at
organising the referendum could be treated as a serious violation
of the election rules and regulations as confirmed by the
Provisional Election Commission (PEC).
OSCE Mission head Robert Barry sent a special letter to Jelavic
warning him that his party had pledged in writing to respect and
implement not only the Dayton agreement but the election rules
established by the OSCE as well.
Barry warned Jelavic that the OSCE would be carefully monitoring
all costs regarding the possible organisation and implementation
of the referendum.
He also informed Jelavic that local election commissions would be
strictly forbidden to participate in the implementation of the
referendum.
OSCE spokesman Zahner told reporters the HDZ was intimidating
voters without any reason with the changed method of election of
deputies to the BH Federation Parliament's House of Peoples.
"National quotas have not been changed. The only change is that the
overall composition of cantonal assemblies elects all deputies,"
Zahner said.
Stiglmayer stressed the new rules were only jeopardising the
domination of some political parties.
(hina) rml