As of today the 160 rehabilitated officials can join electoral processes in all electoral units, Ashdown announced in Sarajevo on Friday at a press conference marking the end of his term of office.
The High Representative said that the rehabilitated politicians would be allowed to hold office if chosen at the next elections, due in October. He added that the time has come for Bosnian institutions to take responsibility for vetting candidates for political posts as that would prevent appointment of problematic candidates.
Speaking of the results of his work, Ashdown said that the fact that Bosnian Serb wartime leaders Radovan Karadzic and Ratko Mladic, who are wanted by the Hague war crimes tribunal, remained at large was his biggest disappointment.
He described the introduction of Value Added Tax as his greatest success, saying that it guaranteed Bosnia-Herzegovina a brighter future.