POLICE REFORM IS THE KEY REFORM BOSNIA FACES

BANJA LUKA, Bosnia (September 25,2007) - Bosnia has made progress in implementation of post-association obligations towards the Council of Europe. It is now necessary for the country to continue with the reform processes. In that sense, police reform is of the essence; as well as the constitutional reform which will enable the Bosnian state to function normally,Kimmo Sasi,a member of the Council of Europe’s Parliamentary assembly,said yesterday in Banja Luka.

Sasi stated at a press conference that there is a list of issues that need to be solved in order to see the process to an end. That includes strengthening of the whole country for the purpose of achieving its better functioning and a clear division between the state and entity jurisdiction.

In that process, apart from the police reform, implementation of the higher education reform and creation of the ombudsman institution at the state level is also very important,he said.

Sasi stated that Bosnia has made progress in the defense reform.He however refused to name the persons responsible for the fact that other post-association obligations have not been fulfilled yet.