Brussels, 16/03/2007 (Agence Europe) - With the adoption of the own-initiative report by Doris Pack (EPP-ED, Germany), the Parliament calls on the authorities to lay the foundations for a stronger Bosnia and to undertake urgent reforms with a view to concluding the Stabilisation and Association Agreement (SAA) and to applying for EU membership in good time. Although the most pressing work must above all be on the Constitution or reform of the police force, education is an important lever for reconciliation between Bosnian, Croats and Serbs in a context of growing ethnic and nationalist tension, the EP stresses, expressing concern about the fact that “formerly moderate parties” resorted during the legislative and presidential electoral campaign to “confrontational and divisive language”.
Given the difficulties experienced in reforming the police, MEPs mainly call on the Council to put pressure on the authorities in Bosnia, and especially on the government of Republika Srpska, to adopt all measures necessary in order to implement the project recently presented. The latter establishes a clear and balanced breakdown of responsibilities between the State and the local authorities, MEPs say. Welcoming the “general collaboration of the governments and Bosnian police forces with the International Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia (ICTY)”, they denounce the fact that not all war criminals have yet been arrested and that many documents that would have helped the investigation along have disappeared. By reactivating the constitutional debate, for which the EU could play a “leading role (…) notably by facilitating the dialogue between the parties”, this should allow: - review of the veto mechanism of the entities; a clear, exhaustive and exact interpretation of the notion of “vital national interests”; and a bolder reorganisation of the administrative structures of Bosnia-Herzegovina with a view to speeding up the decision-making process. “Education remains the primary vehicle of reconciliation”, the Parliament believes, seeing a “serious threat for the country's security” in the current education system. In order to “deal with the burden of the past”, it recommends the setting in place of a system that is open to all and non-discriminatory. The report adds that this means the end of segregation between different ethnic groups meeting in one and the same establishment, a debate on the creation of a common educational programme for pupils in compulsory school education, special attention to the way history is taught and better continuous training for teachers. Finally, MEPs expressed their satisfaction with the decision to reconsider closing down the Office of the High Representative (OHR), whose mandate runs out on 30 June of this year, and that the full exercise of its prerogatives is ensured until June 2008. They regret, on the other hand, the announcement by Christian Schwarz-Schilling, who currently holds both the post of EU Special Representative and the Head of OHR, that he will be stepping down in June. The report calls on Mr Schwarz-Schilling to promote the return of refugees and displaced persons to the whole of the territory of Bosnia, especially in Republika Srpska. MEPs nonetheless consider that the reduction of military personnel decided recently by the Council is a clear sign that stability in the region has improved (numbers for the EUFOR-ALTHEA mission will be scaled down from the current 6,100 to around 2,500 in June this year).
“Constitutional reform is essential for Bosnia-Herzegovina to one day join the EU”, Ms Pack had stressed during debates on Wednesday, before being closely followed up by Olli Rehn, who stressed that “2006 was a bad year” marked by the blocking of reforms and the worsening of the political climate. Discussions in the context of the SAA have made headway but negotiations will not end until practical progress has been made on two conditions: reform of the police and cooperation with the ICTY, the enlargement commissioner pointed out. “We should be able to conclude negotiations on visas very soon”, he added, confirming, moreover, his willingness to have “readmission agreements with all Balkan States by the end of the year”. He went on to call on the leaders of the country to show that they can live up to the expectations of their population. “2007 will be a pivotal year, a year of opportunity for the country” in order to take it towards a more European future.
Most speakers - for example Alojz Peterle (EPP-Ed, Slovenia), Libor Roucek (PES, Czech Republic) and Alexander Lambsdorff (ALDE, Germany - welcomed the proposals set out in the report, in particular in the education field. With experience gained on the ground in Bosnia, the former FORPRONU leader, Philippe Morillon (ALDE, France) launched a vibrant appeal for reconciliation of a country that had hitherto been peaceful and multi-ethnic. He said that, for the future, 'it is appropriate to encourage this country along the road to European integration by pushing it to adopt the essential constitutional changes, despite the persistence from within one of its political classes to make radical speeches that are still steeped in too much ultra-nationalism”. Ryszard Czarnecki (UEN, Poland) hoped that Bosnia would not become hostage to debates by the EU 27 members on the institutional functioning of the EU, while Erik Meijer (GUE/NGL, NL), who takes the view that Bosnia is a miniature Yugoslavia, said that a “federal model after the Belgian or Swiss fashion would perhaps be the best solution”. Bernd Posselt (EPP-ED, Germany) said for his part how concerned he was by the reduction in the military presence, saying it is a “bad sign” as “if there is no war today it does not mean there is not peace”. Hannes Swoboda (PES, Austria) called for the “visa regime to be rapidly lightened so that the spirits and hearts of the citizens in the region can rally to Europe”. (ab)