FM: Abolish office of "viceroy" in Bosnia

With the removal of the danger of destabilization, there should no longer be an international high representative in Bosnia-Herzegovina, says Vuk Jeremic. Serbia's foreign minister spoke on Thursday in Athens to describe the representative as "somebody brought in from outside to run that country." FM: Abolish office of "viceroy" in Bosnia Attending a conference of Economist Magazine, Jeremic said that Bosnia-Herzegovina should in future be administered by democratically elected representatives of the people living there. Addressing the conference, he said it was absurd that a sovereign country, which is currently a member of the UN Security Council, should be in the power of a "foreign viceroy," whose executive powers are comparable only to those of the most despotic of regimes. "There is absolutely no justification for maintaining these measures in the heart of Europe in the 21st century," Jeremic insisted. He said that Serbia will continue to exert a positive influence in Bosnia-Herzegovina, because it firmly believes that representatives of the two entities and three constituent nations must arrive at a consensus on preserving legitimacy and sustainability. This requires mutual respect, pragmatism, and a wish to make compromises on a large number of issues, he added. The minister further said that the success of this process depends on the speediest possible abolition of the Office of the High Representative (OHR) and the so-called Bonn powers, which allow the high representative to dictate or rescind laws and dismiss elected officials. He told the conference that support for the idea of a centralized Bosnia-Herzegovina and the consolidation of Kosovo's secession irrespective of consequences was "superficial and untenable". "This is a moment when we are being given a unique opportunity to attain durable solutions to the open issues of Bosnia-Herzegovina and Kosovo," he added. Vuk Jeremic (FoNet, file)

FM: Abolish office of "viceroy" in Bosnia

Attending a conference of Economist Magazine, Jeremić said that Bosnia-Herzegovina should in future be administered by democratically elected representatives of the people living there.

Addressing the conference, he said it was absurd that a sovereign country, which is currently a member of the UN Security Council, should be in the power of a "foreign viceroy," whose executive powers are comparable only to those of the most despotic of regimes.

"There is absolutely no justification for maintaining these measures in the heart of Europe in the 21st century," Jeremić insisted.

He said that Serbia will continue to exert a positive influence in Bosnia-Herzegovina, because it firmly believes that representatives of the two entities and three constituent nations must arrive at a consensus on preserving legitimacy and sustainability.

This requires mutual respect, pragmatism, and a wish to make compromises on a large number of issues, he added.

The minister further said that the success of this process depends on the speediest possible abolition of the Office of the High Representative (OHR) and the so-called Bonn powers, which allow the high representative to dictate or rescind laws and dismiss elected officials.

He told the conference that support for the idea of a centralized Bosnia-Herzegovina and the consolidation of Kosovo's secession irrespective of consequences was "superficial and untenable".

"This is a moment when we are being given a unique opportunity to attain durable solutions to the open issues of Bosnia-Herzegovina and Kosovo," he added.