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OSCE rejects statements by officials regarding Federation government in Bosnia and Herzegovina
SARAJEVO 4 April 2001
SARAJEVO, 4 April 2001 - The OSCE Mission to Bosnia and Herzegovina firmly rejected the baseless and legally spurious accusations made by various Croat officials in the Herzegovina-Neretva Canton that the government of the Federation of BiH was unconstitutional. The Mission reminds them that as officers of a canton in the Federation they have a legal obligation to uphold the legitimately elected institutions of the entity.
Commenting on recent statements by the Cantonal Prime Minister Josip Merdzo, Deputy Cantonal Governor Dragan Vrankic, and other Croat officials in the Herzegovacka-Neretva Canton, that the Federation government was formed in violation of the Federation Constitution and was illegal, OSCE Spokesperson Luke Zahner said this worn-out refrain was simply wrong.
"Just because the HDZ decided to abdicate its role in the Federation legislature and muffled its voice in that body does not mean that the Federation government is illegal or illegitimate," said Zahner. "The Federation government was formed in strict accordance with the Federation constitution, which was negotiated in 1994 between the Bosniaks and Croats.
"Let us be clear: the HDZ took itself out of the process, because it was not prepared in any way to engage in constructive dialogue with the other parties in the Federation parliament. In walking out of these legitimate institutions, the HDZ has betrayed those who voted for it in November," he said.
Solutions to political disagreements can only be found through dialogue within the legitimate institutions of the state and entity. The illegal and unconstitutional institution in question is the so-called Croat self-government, which was unilaterally created, under the mask of protecting the rights of BiH Croats, in order to perpetuate the dominance of certain factions of the HDZ over economic and natural resources in the areas it controls. The rhetoric and hyperbole coming out of certain politicians cannot mask this plain and simple fact.
The OSCE established its present Mission to Bosnia and Herzegovina on 18 December 1995. In accordance with the General Framework Agreement for Peace (GFAP), the OSCE Mission activities are to: promote Democratization and the building of a vibrant civil society, foster the development of professional journalism and monitor the rights of journalists, monitor and advance the Human Rights situation, supervise the conduct of Elections, and encourage Regional Stabilization through arms control and confidence and security-building measures. The OSCE Mission continues to work closely with other international organizations and local institutions to implement the Dayton Peace Accords.For further information please contact OSCE Spokesperson Luke Zahner at ++387/(0)33 292-449.
Commenting on recent statements by the Cantonal Prime Minister Josip Merdzo, Deputy Cantonal Governor Dragan Vrankic, and other Croat officials in the Herzegovacka-Neretva Canton, that the Federation government was formed in violation of the Federation Constitution and was illegal, OSCE Spokesperson Luke Zahner said this worn-out refrain was simply wrong.
"Just because the HDZ decided to abdicate its role in the Federation legislature and muffled its voice in that body does not mean that the Federation government is illegal or illegitimate," said Zahner. "The Federation government was formed in strict accordance with the Federation constitution, which was negotiated in 1994 between the Bosniaks and Croats.
"Let us be clear: the HDZ took itself out of the process, because it was not prepared in any way to engage in constructive dialogue with the other parties in the Federation parliament. In walking out of these legitimate institutions, the HDZ has betrayed those who voted for it in November," he said.
Solutions to political disagreements can only be found through dialogue within the legitimate institutions of the state and entity. The illegal and unconstitutional institution in question is the so-called Croat self-government, which was unilaterally created, under the mask of protecting the rights of BiH Croats, in order to perpetuate the dominance of certain factions of the HDZ over economic and natural resources in the areas it controls. The rhetoric and hyperbole coming out of certain politicians cannot mask this plain and simple fact.
The OSCE established its present Mission to Bosnia and Herzegovina on 18 December 1995. In accordance with the General Framework Agreement for Peace (GFAP), the OSCE Mission activities are to: promote Democratization and the building of a vibrant civil society, foster the development of professional journalism and monitor the rights of journalists, monitor and advance the Human Rights situation, supervise the conduct of Elections, and encourage Regional Stabilization through arms control and confidence and security-building measures. The OSCE Mission continues to work closely with other international organizations and local institutions to implement the Dayton Peace Accords.For further information please contact OSCE Spokesperson Luke Zahner at ++387/(0)33 292-449.