REHN: BOSNIA MUST REFORM CONSTITUTION TO JOIN EUROPEAN UNION

SARAJEVO, Bosnia (October 10,2008) - Bosnia must reform its constitution and hold a census before becoming a candidate for European Union membership, the EU Enlargement Commissioner Olli Rehn said in the Bosnian capital Sarajevo today.

"We are in favour of constitution evolution which can be done and must be done in full respect of Dayton Peace Agreement," Rehn told reporters following a meeting with the Bosnian President Haris Silajdzic.

"It is important that the country will be able to speak with one voice as a future candidate country of the European Union," he stressed referring to a longstanding gridlock among Bosnia's main political parties over adopting constitutional reforms and strengthening central institutions.

"If I were to see nightmares I will see nightmares of Bosnia blocking the decision making in the EU because of its own political stalemates, because of a dysfunctional state structure," Rehn said.

He slammed local politicians over the current stalemate in reform process which is "hurting the country's progress towards EU" and the use of nationalistic rhetoric in the buildup to last Sunday's local elections.

The Bosnian President Haris Silajdzic protested that EU policy apportioned equal blame to all political leaders in Bosnia.

"Such an attitude towards Bosnia is my own nightmare," President Silajdzic told Rehn at a joint news conference. "This must stop because it does not help."

"Tell us who is failing to do things here -- it is the right time to say it," said President Silajdzic, accusing political representatives of the Serbians living in Bosnia of being the main obstructionist force.

"This neutral attitude does not help because it is not neutral -- it helps those who are keeping Bosnia on hold. There can be no neutral attitude - we are dealing with a very serious situation here," President Silajdzic said.

Rehn declined to respond to calls to name obstructionists, saying the European Commission policy was not "to participate in domestic politics by blaming different parties".

"What matters for us is that the legal, democratic and economic criteria of EU membership are met ... As regards the consequences, it is up to the people of the country to make political conclusions," Rehn kept avoiding to answer directly to remarks made by President Silajdzic.

Bosnia signed in June a Stabilisation and Association Agreement with the European Union, seen as the first step towards EU membership.

Rehn also said that Bosnia has to conduct a census in 2011 as the EU needs clear data in order to formulate policies for Bosnia.

However,Bosnian politicians warn that it would cement the results of the genocide against the Bosnian people committed by the genocidal Serbian fascist savages during the 1992-1995 Serbian aggression against Bosnia.
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PRESIDENT KOMSIC: LAJCAK IS NOT ONLY TOLERATING STATEMENTS BUT SERIOUS PLANS FOR DISSOLUTION OF BOSNIA

SARAJEVO, Bosnia (March 3,2008) - The Bosnian President Zeljko Komsic stated in the Bosnian capital Sarajevo that he did not attend the recent meeting with the EU Commissioner for Enlargement Olli Rehn along with the leaders of the most influential political parties in Bosnia because he does not want to be a part of those kind of persuasions into things he does not believe in.

He explained that meeting with Rehn was first drafted as a seminar but that it was not even planned. Still, when its preparation began, he informed the Office of the International Community's High Representative in Bosnia (OHR) that he did not want to attend this meeting.

"Reason is, that they do not have to convince me that this police reform is something good because I believe this plan is bad for Bosnia. That is why I did not want to participate and give legitimacy to something I do not believe in”, stated President Komsic for the press.

He pointed out that various comments contributed to the idea that he rejected to see Olli Rehn.

"I did not refuse to meet him, but I did not plan to attend this meeting in the first place, and neither some individual meeting within some forum was planned”, President Komsic pointed out.

He stated that certain colleagues’ comments on all of this were interesting and that everybody has the right to believe what they want.

In that way, some politicians claimed that the meeting confirmed the unity of Bosnia and its territorial integrity while others claimed that the genocidal Serbian creature in Bosnia ("RS") is "a permanent category" and that they received confirmations for this from all political directors of the Peace Implementation Council (PIC) member states.

"Someone concluded that this is a great victory and that we shall sign the Stabilisation and Association Agreement (SAA) with the EU which is all stated in communiqué. We shall have this agreement but not because we have done something concrete but because Europe is primarily driven by security situation in the region and therefore they will allow us to sign the SAA”, believes Komsic.

He pointed out that nothing more was expected from this meeting but that only old positions have been confirmed.

President Komsic commented the work and behavior of the International Community's High Representative in Bosnia and called it inadmissible. He believes that Lajcak is not only tolerating statements but serious plans for dissoulution of Bosnia.

"Considering the power he has, he cannot behave in this way. Either it is his personal estimate or an order of his political bosses to act the way he does. I do not expect for High representative to behave in the manner: “Believe me, and not your own eyes”, underlined President Komsic.
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BOSNIAN PRESIDENT ZELJKO KOMSIC OFFENDS EU BUREAUCRATS

SARAJEVO, Bosnia (March 1,2008) – The Bosnian President Zeljko Komsic has “offended the EU" by rejecting the European Union’s offer for a meeting, some media and politicians said yesterday.

Following this week's meeting of the Peace Implementation Council, PIC, the body overseeing Bosnia's compliance with the deal that ended the 1992-1995 Serbian,Montenegrin and Croatian aggressions against Bosnia, the European Union's Enlargement Commissioner Olli Rehn invited top Bosnian leaders to stay in Brussels and discuss the country’s progress in its accession to the 27-member bloc.

While all other Bosnian politicians welcomed the invitation, the President of the Bosnian State Presidency Zeljko Komsic said he “does not need EU night school” and returned to Bosnia.

On Friday some Bosnian media and political leaders strongly criticised the move, calling it a “diplomatic scandal.”

“Zeljko Komsic has disgraced Bosnia,” read the headline of Bosnian daily Dnevni Avaz, listing numerous politicians from both the ruling and opposition parties who had lambasted President Komsic.

Some political leaders argue that President Komsic did not go to Brussels as a representative of his SDP party, but of Bosnia, and that it was extremely rude of him not to accept the invitation.

Despite President Komsic's absence the meeting went ahead with Rehn suggesting Bosnia could sign the Stabilisation and Association Agreement in April, widely seen as the first step to EU membership and become a candidate country in 2009.

"The President of the Bosnian Presidency Zeljko Komsic primarily did not plan to participate at the meetings in Brussels with EU Commissioner for Expansion Olli Rehn and some Bosnian political leaders, for he is of the opinion that one should not participate at the meetings of the “evening schools about the EU”-kind, President Komsic’s media advisor Irena Kljajic said.

Kljajic stated that President Komsic is of the opinion that it is not an adequate relationship of EU bureaucracy towards Bosnia.
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BOSNIAN AND EU OFFICIALS HELD TALKS IN BRUSSELS

BRUSSELS, Belgium (March 1,2008) - A two-day exchange of opinions between the EU representatives and Bosnia's political leaders on the current political situation in the country, and steps that need to be taken in oder for the Stabilisation and Association Agreement (SAA) to be signed by Bosnia and EU ended in Brussels with some long-awaited announcements.

The EU Enlargement Commissioner Olli Rehn confirmed that talks about liberalization of the visa system would speed up, “having in mind that this is one the biggest problems for the Bosnian citizens" and the outlook for the SAA signing in April was said to be realistic.
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EU URGES BOSNIA TO COMPLETE POLICE REFORM

BRUSSELS, Belgium (February 27,2008) - Bosnia could sign an agreement in April bringing it closer to EU membership, the European Union said yesterday, urging the Southeastern European state to complete police reforms to avoid missing the opportunity.

"I would expect we should be able to sign an SAA with Bosnia shortly, that is in April, on condition that Bosnia can adopt the required laws concerning police reform," EU Enlargement Commissioner Olli Rehn told reporters yesterday.

"It's a great opportunity for the country and I trust the leaders will not miss this opportunity," he said ahead of meeting in Brussels today with Bosnia's leadership.

"If they (Bosnia's leaders) show enough willingness, positive thinking and pro-activeness, there is enough to go forward," Brigadier General Vincenzo Coppola, the official in charge of an EU police mission in Bosnia told a news briefing in Brussels.
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REHN: BALKANS HAVE CHANCE TO ACHIVE STABILITY

LONDON, UK (January 28,2008) - The Balkans have a chance to achieve stability and prosperity and the European Union can use the carrot of membership to drive reforms, EU Enlargement Commissioner Olli Rehn said.

In a comment piece for the British daily the Guardian. , Rehn acknowledged there was a "danger of instability, at the moment when Kosovo's future status is on the point of being resolved," but added that the EU could be a stabilising influence.

Writing ahead of a meeting of EU foreign ministers in Brussels later today, Rehn said that the 27-nation bloc could have a positive influence "if the EU gives a decisive and unified steer to ensure a coordinated response, as foreign ministers meeting today should be aware."

"The western Balkans has made steady if uneven progress over recent years, and the goal of EU membership remains an important motivation to keep reforms on track," he said.

Rehn wrote that he hoped to see all of the countries in the region sign stabilisation and association agreements with the EU, which he described as "the gateway towards candidacy for membership".

Albania, Montenegro and Macedonia have all signed such pacts, and Rehn said the EU was "now waiting for Bosnia and for the genocidal Serbia to meet the remaining conditions to sign the agreement.

He added that "EU foreign ministers should today give a strong signal of Serbia's European future by deciding to sign the stabilisation and association agreement shortly."

"Seldom have citizens had as clear a choice as the Serbs do now, between a nationalist past and a European future. The EU is ready to welcome the citizens of Serbia into EU, not just through a contractual relationship with their state, but also individually," he said.

"The future for the Balkans can be far from dark. ... But ultimately people in the region have to exercise their democratic choice to determine their countries' future course," Rehn concluded.