OSCE High Commissioner on National Minorities visits Bosnia and Herzegovina

OSCE High Commissioner on National Minorities Astrid Thors visited Bosnia and Herzegovina from 5 to 7 May 2014. She met key actors to gain a more comprehensive picture of the situation of persons belonging to national minorities in Bosnia and Herzegovina.

Among others, Thors had meetings with Deputy Foreign Minister Ana Trišić-Babić and key members of the international community.

She also held discussions with representatives of the State Council for National Minorities and the Republika Srpska’s Council on National Minorities. She encouraged the Councils for National Minorities to continue their involvement in the drafting of the Minority Rights Strategy. Thors commended the efforts made and the results achieved by Bosnia and Herzegovina during the Decade for Roma Inclusion. “I hope a similar positive outcome will be reached with the preparation and implementation of the Minority Rights Strategy,” Thors said.

She stated that it was important for Bosnia and Herzegovina to have a legal framework ensuring equal rights and opportunities, as well as effective participation, for all citizens. Thors added that an agreement to implement the Sejdić and Finci ruling must be reached as soon as possible and that the census data should not be politicized once released.