LAJČÁK : POLICE REFORM LAWS MUST BE ADOPTED IN ORDER TO SECURE SAA SIGNING

SARAJEVO, Bosnia (April 9,2008) - Following the session of the Party of Democratic Action (SDA) Main Board on Saturday, there have been suggestions that the Stabilisation and Association Agreement (SAA) between Bosnia and the European Union could be signed without adoption of the police reform legislation. In response to these claims, the International Community's High Representative and EU Special Representative in Bosnia Miroslav Lajčák underlined that the EU expects police reform legislation to be adopted by the Bosnian State Parliament for the SAA to be signed.

Lajčák emphasised that the broader international community has supported the EU’s approach, calling for police reform legislation in line with the Mostar Declaration and the subsequent Action Plan to be adopted as a matter of urgency.

"Anyone who claims that the SAA can be signed in the near future while the adoption of postponement of police reform legislation is postponed is simply misleading the public," Lajcak said.

“EU integration is Bosnia’s most important strategic objective. Ordinary people want to see development, closer social and business ties with the EU, they want the visa regime liberalized,” he said.

Lajcak also reminded those who questioned the existence of the entities that the Peace Implementation Council reaffirmed that the Bosnian Constitution recognizes that Bosnia consists of two entities and that Bosniacs, Croats and Serbs are constituent peoples.

The international community remains committed to the principles on which the General Framework Agreement for Peace is founded,Lajcak concluded.
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