UNDP ORGANIZES A TWO DAY SEMINAR ON TRANSITIONAL JUSTICE MECHANISMS

SARAJEVO, Bosnia (May 6,2008) – A two-day educational event on transitional justice mechanisms has started yesterday in the Bosnian capital Sarajevo. The concept and mechanisms of transitional justice are being presented to the participants of the consultation process.

The Bosnian government has recognized the need to take account of other mechanisms of transitional justice that would be complementary to the activities of the Bosnian State Prosecutor’s Office and the Bosnian State Court that work intensively investigating and determining the responsibility of the war crime perpetrators.

Finally, introducing new concepts of transitional justice, along the prosecution of war crimes, will enable the Bosnian citizens to experience means and mechanisms of justice more effectively.

The education event was opened today by the Bosnian Minister of Justice Barisa Colak and the Bosnian Minister of Human Rights and Refugees Safet Halilovic, together with Ms. Christine McNab, the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) Resident Representative in Bosnia, representatives of the Bosnian State Court and the International Center for Transitional Justice and the Civil Society in Bosnia.

"Bosnia is a society looking ahead of a long-term process of facing the past, aiming to ensure a more prosperous future“, stated McNab.

The Bosnian Minister of Justice Barisa Colak stated that the process of confronting the past is very difficult but that he is an optimist.

The consultation process is conceived in such a way to assist the Bosnian government to acquire and give consideration to the suggestions made by the civil society and government representatives from all parts of the country on issues of facing the past.

The first step of such consultation process is to introduce the concept of transitional justice and its social and political implications. During the next two days, a number of international experts from this area will participate in the Sarajevo event.

The Bosnian Minister of Human Rights and Refugees Safet Halilovic stated the first priority is democratic processes, mechanisms of reconciliation and coexistence.
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