Role of Parliamentary Military Commissioner in Bosnia and Herzegovina in focus of OSCE-supported conference

SARAJEVO, 19 October 2010 - The role of the Parliamentary Military Commissioner in protecting rights and freedoms of military personnel in Bosnia and Herzegovina was the focus of a conference held in Sarajevo today. 

The goal of the conference organized by Bosnia and Herzegovina's Parliamentary Assembly Office of the Parliamentary Military Commissioner, with the support of the OSCE Mission to Bosnia and Herzegovina, was to promote the work of the Commissioner to an audience comprising members of the legislature, senior military officers and civilian authorities.

"The OSCE Mission to Bosnia and Herzegovina has actively worked with the country's Parliament to develop oversight capabilities that would include human rights monitoring in the defence sector," stated Ambassador Vadim Kuznetsov, Deputy Head of OSCE Mission to Bosnia and Herzegovina.

Although laws and regulations prohibit illegal practices in the Armed Forces these practices still exist and implementation of the legislation is often difficult. The BiH Parliamentary Military Commissioner's role is to be an advocate for the Armed Forces in the Parliament and in public, to secure and preserve basic rights of military service members and cadets.

"The Commissioner's role as a link between civilian ombudsmen institutions and leadership, on the one hand, and the armed forces personnel, on the other hand, is crucial for raising awareness about individual welfare of soldiers, and for inculcating a sense of justice and leadership by example," said Kuznetsov.