SARAJEVO, Nov 30 (Hina) - Extremists in Bosnia-Herzegovina are to face hard times, said the international community's High Representative, Wolfgang Petritsch, to NATO member-countries' ambassadors in Sarajevo on Monday when he
personally notified them on the replacement of 22 elected officials in Bosnia, accused of repeated violations of the Dayton peace agreements. The action taken by the High Representative and the OSCE mission's head, Robert Barry, was a surprise for a public and came as a shock for ruling political structures inside all three ethnic groups (Moslem, Serb and Croat). Petritsch and Barry carefully assessed all dimensions of measures which they intended to tale and reached almost perfect "ethnic" balance among the official removed from the office. The list of dismissed officials include nine Serbs, seven Moslems (Bosniaks) and six Croats. Their names have been f
SARAJEVO, Nov 30 (Hina) - Extremists in Bosnia-Herzegovina are to
face hard times, said the international community's High
Representative, Wolfgang Petritsch, to NATO member-countries'
ambassadors in Sarajevo on Monday when he personally notified them
on the replacement of 22 elected officials in Bosnia, accused of
repeated violations of the Dayton peace agreements.
The action taken by the High Representative and the OSCE mission's
head, Robert Barry, was a surprise for a public and came as a shock
for ruling political structures inside all three ethnic groups
(Moslem, Serb and Croat).
Petritsch and Barry carefully assessed all dimensions of measures
which they intended to tale and reached almost perfect "ethnic"
balance among the official removed from the office.
The list of dismissed officials include nine Serbs, seven Moslems
(Bosniaks) and six Croats. Their names have been for long time
mentioned in the press in context of forces that obstruct the return
of refuges or violate laws in different ways.
On the top of the list is Mayor of Banja Luka, Serb Djordje Umicevic,
who was also the first to accuse the international community of
having taken groundless action.
Umicevic, who became notorious after he said he would not let the
reconstruction of mosques destroyed in Banja Luka during the war as
they reminded of "Turkish occupation", yesterday told a news
conference he would not accept the replacement if the city's
assembly did not ask him to leave his post.
In view of the fact that his party (the Serb Party of Posavina and
Krajina) along with Radicals and the Serb Democratic Party (SDS)
makes a majority in Banja Luka's assembly, it will be interesting to
follow the further developments.
Obstructions can be expected from people whose nature is
obstructive, responded the OSCE mission's Robert Barry in an
article issued by the daily "Dnevni Avaz" that asked him whether he
expected problems in the implementation of that decision.
Further moves of those individuals will not bring into question the
decision on their replacement as none of 22 officials have had
legitimacy to perform their duties any more.
Moslem member of Bosnia's three-man Presidency Alija Izetbegovic,
is now in an awkward position. Although he favoured the replacement
of some persons, perhaps more for symbolical than for practical
reasons, he could not disguise his resentment at Petritsch's and
Barry's decision to dismiss Mirsad Veladzic, "irreplaceable" head
of Una-Sana Canton, and the main executor of tasks ordered by the
(Moslem-led) SDA party, in the Bihac area.
In a statement which Izetbegovic forwarded to the media, he claimed
that in Una-Sana canton everything has been done on what the
international community has insisted so far, including the return
of refugees and the involvement of Serb and Croat representatives
in local authorities. Izetbegovic, however, forgot to mention
accusations under which Veladzic is directly responsible for
police repression against SDA opponents in that area of Bosnia.
What is interesting this time is the fact that not only leaders in
municipalities in eastern or central Bosnia have been dismissed but
also Sarajevo Canton's structures' turn has come. In Sarajevo
Canton, the implementation of a Declaration on the return of 20,000
non-Moslem refugees has been staggering over two years.
Cantonal Justice Minister Jusuf Zahiragic is believed to be
responsible for such a situation and therefore he is among 22
replaced officials. He is said to have personally prevented the
eviction of illegal tenants from some flats and houses.
Zahiragic told the media he just "conveyed stands of cantonal
assembly and authorities" to courts.
Very heated response was given by the Croatian Democratic Union of
Bosnia-Herzegovina (HDZ BiH). This party viewed the decision as
"surprising, unacceptable" and condemned it in light of the fact
that some of dismissed officials have previously resigned (Meter
and Pazin) or been relieved of their duties in a regular procedure
such as Kordic.
Ambassador Barry, in his interview to the "Dnevni Avaz", described
this mass replacement of officials as a result of carefully
considered activities that ensued after thorough analyses of the
situation.
This is the time when some big shots should realise they will no more
appear at election lists nor will they be able to be executives in
order to retain power, Barry said expressing hope that a speedier
return of refugees can ensue after this action.
Barry said this action was also a warning as this was neither the
beginning nor the end but just continuation of the international
community's approach to the implementation of the Dayton accords.
(hina) ms