Attempts to undermine the Court of Bosnia and Herzegovina and the Prosecutor's Office of BiH harm all people in BiH

SARAJEVO, 25 March 2011 –  The OSCE Mission to Bosnia and Herzegovina has noted with increasing concern that the role and purpose of BiH’s state judicial institutions have been openly called into question in recent weeks.

The BiH Constitutional Court has confirmed the legitimacy and constitutionality of the Court of BiH.  The Court of BiH and the Prosecutors Office of BiH have jurisdiction over the most serious crimes that threaten social peace and security, including war crimes, organized crime, and terrorism. Questioning their legitimacy is both corrosive and irresponsible, because inter-ference in the independence of the judiciary is tantamount to undermining the rule of law in BiH.

Respect for the role of these institutions is fully consistent with the principles of a democratic, self-sustaining country and local self-government in BiH. These institutions, and these principles, are key components of the rule of law in this country.

The OSCE Mission and the European Union have expressed their strong support for the Court of BiH and the Prosecutor’s Office of BiH, as they have with other state-level institutions, be-cause these institutions are crucial to the country’s legal system and the process of BiH’s inte-gration into the EU. Statements and actions which serve to undermine these institutions dam-age the integrity of BiH, damage BiH efforts to join the EU, and damage the prospects of all citizens of BiH for a better and more prosperous life.