SPIRIC URGED PIC TO SUPPORT BOSNIA'S EU INTEGRATION

BRUSSELS, Belgium (February 28,2008) – Bosnia's Prime Minister Nikola Spiric stated that the political situation in Bosnia is much better now comparing the situation at the time of the last session of the Peace Implementation Council (PIC) Managing Board.

Spiric stated that the activities of the Bosnian Council of Ministers are based on two ideas – further integration of Bosnia into the EU and the full membership in the NATO.

”Bosnia on December 4 2007 initialed the Stabilisation a nd Association Agreement (SAA) with the EU and the Bosnian Council of Ministers took obligations derived from it very seriously”, stated Spiric.

Regarding the police reform, he informed PIC that based on the Mostar Declaration and Action Plan for police reform,the Bosnian Council of Ministers on February 14 confirmed and sent into parliamentary procedure draft law on the Direction for police bodies coordination and agencies for the support to the police structure in Bosnia as well as the draft law on independent supervisory bodies of the police structure.

”Both laws were adopted in the first reading in the Bosnian Parliament's House of Representatives and House of Peoples. I expect for these laws to be presented in the House of Representatives for the second reading in the session’s Agenda on March 5”, stated Spiric.

He added that every reform is a matter of process, not moment. “I have appealed to all chosen authorities to choose further integrations over ideal laws”, added Spiric.

He estimated that the issue of further integrations needs a wide consensus but that no one has the right to stop the processes and for Bosnia to waste the chance given by Brussels. He expressed optimism that reason and responsibility will prevail and both laws would be adopted at the second reading.

”I appeal to you to encourage those political forces which expressed doubts since it is clear that these two laws do not complete the police reform but they make those first steps which would not allow us to go back any more”, added Spiric.

He concluded that there is progress in the public management reform which was noted in the report of European Commission last week.

Spiric underlined that the basic program goal of the Bosnian government, except from the EU integrations processes, is the full membership in NATO.

He informed PIC that the Bosnian Council of Ministers concluded a number of other important draft laws such as budget law, law on criminal proceedings, law on medications and other medical supplies, law on salaries and employment fees in the Bosnian state institutions, as well as the law on fiscal council.

Spiric stated that the Bosnian Council of Ministers has the list of priorities such as solving the status the state property, attracting foreign investments, economic development, and census, strategy for the fight against corruption and framework employment strategy.

He added that these days the issue of the future of the Office of the International Community's High Representative in bosnia (OHR) is very much discussed.

Spiric appealed to PIC to support Bosnia on its road towards the EU and again underlined the importance of signing the SAA as soon as possible.

"As I have already mentioned, after the Dayton Agreement, the SAA is the most important agreement for Bosnia which should bring together all creative potentials and ensure that Bosnia rises above futile and somewhat hysteric political games”, concluded Spiric.
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