MOTION FOR A RESOLUTION

8.2.2006

to wind up the debate on statements by the Council and Commission
pursuant to Rule 103(2) of the Rules of Procedure
by Konrad Szymański, Rolandas Pavilionis, Adriana Poli Bortone and Inese Vaidere
on behalf of the UEN Group
on Bosnia-Herzegovina

B6‑0098/2006

European Parliament resolution on Bosnia-Herzegovina

The European Parliament,

–  having regard to its previous resolutions on Bosnia and Herzegovina and the western Balkans,

–  having regard to Rule 103(2) of its Rules of Procedure,

A.  whereas the peace agreement putting an end to the civil war in Bosnia and Herzegovina was signed in Dayton ten years ago in November 1995,

B.  whereas, during ten years of reconstruction efforts supported by international assistance, Bosnia and Herzegovina has established peace, democratic order and the rule of law and has made its economy work,

C.  whereas around 1 million out of 2.2 million refugees in Bosnia have returned either to their homes or to the surrounding area,

D.  whereas the EU has greatly contributed to peace-building and stabilisation in the country, inter alia by creating the EUFOR military mission and granting economic assistance; whereas over 6 000 EU troops and 150 police are still helping to preserve security in Bosnia and Herzegovina,

E.  whereas 20 war crimes suspects from Bosnia have been tried before the International Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia (ICTY) in The Hague, but Radovan Karadzic and Ratko Mladic, two Bosnian Serb leaders, have not yet been captured; whereas the authorities of the Serbian Republic are accused of failing to cooperate with the ICTY in that case,

F.  whereas, despite huge progress in many fields, the country is still deeply divided along ethnic lines and the reconciliation process is not complete,

G.  whereas, in November 2005, the Council decided to launch negotiations on a stabilisation and association agreement with Bosnia and Herzegovina, which may eventually lead to the country being granted official candidate status,

H.  whereas the constitutional framework of Bosnia and Herzegovina as set out in the Dayton Agreement gives real power not to central authorities but to the authorities of the two entities – the Muslim-Croat Federation and the Serbian Republic – which also control police and military forces,

I.  whereas the complicated bureaucratic system with 14 governments and 150 ministerial posts at central, entity and cantonal level and the many restrictions on internal trade remain major obstacles to reform and speeding up economic growth,

J.  whereas, in November 2005, the leaders of Bosnia and Herzegovina agreed on a constitutional reform strengthening the central powers of the country and creating, inter alia, a single presidential post,

K.  whereas, in January 2006, the negotiations between eight major parties representing the main ethnic groups failed and the process of reform has been stopped,

1.  Welcomes the results of the reconstruction and security-building efforts conducted in Bosnia and Herzegovina over the past 10 years and expresses its conviction that the Dayton Agreement’s main goals of bringing peace and better prospects for the future of the country have been achieved; expresses its congratulations in this regard;

2.  Expresses its gratitude to all those who contributed to the stabilisation and reconstruction of the country, especially all those who risked their lives to put an end to the war;

3.  Calls on all parties to deepen the reconciliation process and underlines that full cooperation with the ICTY is one of the essential preconditions for bringing justice and confidence to the ethnic groups of Bosnia and Herzegovina;

4.  Is convinced that the current constitutional framework is hampering the further political and economic development of the country and that strengthening the role of the central government and parliament is indispensable in order to complete the stabilisation process;

5.  Underlines that the pace of the integration process with the EU is dependent on the successful achievement of political reforms and on making the country’s administration more efficient;

6.  Calls on the Council and the Commission to make every effort to establish a compromise between the political parties in Bosnia and Herzegovina;

7.  Instructs its President to forward this resolution to the Council, the Commission, the governments of the Member States, the Government and Parliament of Bosnia and Herzegovina, the governments and parliaments of the Muslim-Croat Federation and the Serbian Republic, the UN Representative in Bosnia and Herzegovina, and the governments and parliaments of Croatia and Serbia.