PROPOSAL FOR A RECOMMENDATION TO THE COUNCIL

14.11.2006

pursuant to Rule 114(1) of the Rules of Procedure
by Doris Pack
on behalf of the PPE-DE Group
on Bosnia and Herzegovina

B6‑0615/2006

European Parliament recommendation to the Council on Bosnia and Herzegovina

The European Parliament,

–  having regard to the agreement reached between the constituent entities of Bosnia and Herzegovina in October last year, to adopt the basic principles set out by the European Commission for the restructuring of police forces,

–  having regard to the Council's subsequent decision of 25 November 2005 to open negotiations with Bosnia and Herzegovina on a Stabilisation and Association Agreement,

–  having regard to the agreement reached on 18 March 2006 between leaders of the main political parties in Bosnia and Herzegovina on a number of constitutional amendments,

–  having regard to the Peace Implementation Council Steering Board's decision of last June inviting the Office of the High Representative (OHR) immediately to begin preparations to close on 30 June 2007 and to review and confirm in early 2007 the OHR closure, taking into account the overall situation in the country and in the region,

–  having regard to the recent presidential and parliamentary elections in Bosnia and Herzegovina,

–  having regard to the conclusions on the Western Balkans of the General Affairs Council of 16 and 17 October 2006,

–  having regard to Rule 114(1) of its Rules of Procedure,

A.  whereas the representatives of the two entities had agreed that the proposed police force reform would envisage the transfer to state level of all budgetary competencies, the elimination of all political interference in the operation of such forces and the delimitation of territorial units along purely functional lines,

B.  whereas the agreement foresaw the setting up of a directorate for the implementation of police force restructuring, with representatives from all levels of authority (state, entity and cantons), whose task would be to submit a proposal for the implementation of the reform, including the demarcation of the new territorial units,

C.  whereas the directorate should have submitted its proposals by 30 September 2006, a deadline which it failed to respect, given that the representatives of the Republika Srpska refused to cooperate further on this issue,

D.  whereas during the campaign the Republika Srpska leadership repeatedly issued statements which questioned the proposed police reform and the agreement reached by the parties in October last year,

E.  whereas the Parliament of Bosnia and Herzegovina failed by only two votes to reach the qualified majority required for the adoption of the constitutional amendments agreed by the main political parties,

F.  whereas the main opponent of the 'no' vote was elected President of Bosnia and Herzegovina,

G.  whereas during the election campaign representatives of the Republika Srpska called for an independence referendum, should the negotiations on the future status of Kosovo result in a legal and territorial separation from Serbia,

H.  whereas the decision to close down the Office of the High Representative could have an impact on the pace of the administrative and constitutional reforms, which are an essential prerequisite for the country's European integration process,

I.  whereas the election campaign confirmed the persistence of strong ethnic divisions within Bosnia and Herzegovina and the need for a more integrated, non-segregationist, modern education system in the country,

1.  Addresses the following recommendations to the Council:

• (a)welcomes the Council's call for the new governments to be formed quickly, so as to allow the rapid resumption of legislative activity;
• (b)invites the Council, through the good offices of the EU Special Representative, to relaunch the talks on much-needed constitutional reform in Bosnia and Herzegovina;
• (c)urges the Council to exert pressure on the Government of the Republika Srpska to recommit to the work of the directorate for police reform implementation and to remind all parties that police force restructuring is a key prerequisite for the conclusion of the Stabilisation and Association Agreement;

2.  Instructs its President to forward this recommendation to the General Affairs Council and, for information, to the Commission, the EU Special Representative/High Representative for Bosnia and Herzegovina and the governments of Bosnia and Herzegovina, the Republika Srpska and the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina.