EUROPEAN COMMISSION TO PRESENT REPORT TODAY ON BOSNIA'S PROGRESS TOWARDS EU MEMBERSHIP

SARAJEVO, Bosnia (November 6,2007) – Deputy General Director of the European Commission’s General Directorate for Enlargement Jan Truszczynski will arrive in the Bosnian capital Sarajevo today to present the Report on Progress achieved by Bosnia on the road towards the EU membership during the last 12 months, the Delegation of the European Commission to Bosnia announced yesterday.

Since 2002 the European Commission has been regularly reporting on progress of the Southeastern European states.

Progress is evaluated based on adopted decisions, passed laws and measures that have been implemented. Laws and measures that are being drafted or are in parliamentary procedure are not taken into consideration.

AJANOVIC: OHR'S ATTACKS ON REISU-L-ULEMA MUSTAFA EF.CERIC ARE A BREECH OF ARTICLE 10 OF EUROPEAN CONVENTION

TUZLA, Bosnia (November 6,2007) – "Attacks by the Office of International Community's High representative in Bosnia (OHR) on leader of the Bosnian Islamic Community Reis-l-Ulema Mustafa Ef. Ceric, are an evident breech of the Article 10 of the European Convention that is guaranteeing the freedom of expression and opinion”, Mirnes Ajanovic, president of the BOSS Party stated at a press conference in Tuzla.

Ajanovic stated that the OHR has accused Reis-l-Ulema Mustafa Ef. Ceric without any grounds of making statements in the United States which are breeching the Dayton Agreement.

”Statements made by Reis-l-Ulema Mustafa Ef. Ceric on the necessity of implementation of the reforms and demands for annulment of results of criminal actions of genocide and ethnic cleansing should be an obligation of the reasonable and moral people. The attempts of banning the Bosnian Muslims from stating their opinions on a functional constitution of state are the breech of the Dayton Agreement.That is what the OHR has been doing”, Ajanovic said.

Speaking in Detroit,USA, Reis-l-Ulema Mustafa Ef. Ceric called on all present to “support the group led by Tarik Bilalbegovic, which is lobbying in Washington for a new resolution in the U.S. Congress, which has been initiated by the Bosniak-American Advisory Council for Bosnia.

The resolution, among other things, states that "the RS entity cannot exist under its present name, which represents an ethnically exclusive political philosophy of its founders and cements the results of genocide”.

EUROPEAN COMMISSION: SOUTHEASTERN EUROPEAN COUNTRIES CAN COUNT ON EU MEMBERSHIP

BRUSSELS, Belgium (November 6,2007) – Expansion towards the Southeastern European countries is necessary because it is the only instrument serving the strategic stability of the European Union, the European Commission (EC) announced.

The Southeastern European countries can count on the EU membership but only in the mid-term or longer period of time, the EC document, which is to be announced today, commenting the expansion strategy states.

”Although the European perspective is tangible for every country of the region, all those countries are slow in implementation of the reform processes”, the document states.

”The current situation on Kosovo is unsustainable. The region’s status needs to be solved as soon as possible”, the document concludes.

”Functioning of the Bosnian state institutions is threatened because of the ethnic divisions in the country. Serbia's democratic forces are fragile. Increased tensions in Macedonia influence normal functioning of institutions. Delays in the process of adoption of the Montenegro constitution is a challenge for democracy”, the EC stated.

According to the EC analysis, all the countries of the region have a serious problem – corruption and organized crime. The most advanced country is Croatia, which should engage more in the sector of jurisdiction and fight against corruption”, the European Commission’s report states.

According to the document, other countries face serious problems. Regardless of all this, the European perspective needs to be tangible.

”That perspective needs to be combined with the conditions-making policy. It has shown results in the past few years. The perspective of full membership has never been more important than it is today, for that will help those countries overcome the crisis, state weaknesses and democratic challenges”, the European Commission stated.

MEMBERS OF BOSNIAN PARLIAMENT AND OHR EXPERTS ENDED SECOND ROUND OF TALKS

SARAJEVO, Bosnia (November 6,2007) – Members of the Bosnian Parliament have ended the second round of talks with the legal team of the Office of the International Community's High Representative In Bosnia (OHR) headed by Edouardo d´Aousto, the Bosnian Parliament stated.

Participants in the meeting thoroughly analysed certain segments of the High Representative’s proposal, which change the books of regulations of the two houses of the Bosnian Parliamnt.They especially discussed their harmonisation with the Bosnian Constitution.

They agreed that after the end of talks with legal experts, expected early this week, they would again meet to define a final position on the proposed changes so that the procedure of their possible adoption can be completed before December 1, which is a deadline set by the OHR.

NEW DEPUTY EUFOR COMMANDER APPOINTED

SARAJEVO, Bosnia (November 6,2007) - The European Union Force in Bosnia (EUFOR) has a new Deputy Commander.Brigadier General Carmelo De Cicco took over his duties yesterday from the outgoing Deputy Commander Brigadier General Sebastiano O Giangravé who departs after one year in Bosnia.

General De Cicco has received specialised training in military peacekeeping operations. He said he is looking forward to serving in Bosnia and is keen to reinforce the message that EUFOR is a force for good that is working together with the Bosnian citizens, aimed at bringing the country closer to full European integration.

General De Cicco has held key staff appointments in the 3rd Department of the Italian Army General Staff; Command of artillery regiments; Assistant Defence and Defence Cooperation Attaché at the Italian Embassy in Washington, DC; Commander of Task Force “ISTRICE” in Kosovo during the Operation “Joint Guardian”; Chief of the Military Attaches Office at the Information and Security Department of the Italian Defence General Staff and also Deputy Chief of Staff for Support at the Italian Army Operational Forces Command.