Bosnia and Hercegovina has not yet implemented the Sejdić-Finci judgement. This lack of progress is deeply disappointing said Commissioner for Enlargement and European Neighbourhood Policy Mr Štefan Füle and Secretary General of the Council of Europe Mr Thorbjørn Jagland.
The Constitution of Bosnia and Herzegovina designates that only ethnic Bosnians, Serbs, and Croats can be elected as Members of the Presidency and House of Peoples of Bosnia and Herzegovina. The Grand Chamber of the European Court of Human Rights found that the Constitution of Bosnia and Herzegovina violates international human rights law. Therefore, BiH could face the prospect to lose its status as an EU member candidate.
In this context, Commissioner Füle has decided to cancel the Third Meeting of the High Level Dialogue which was scheduled to take place in Mostar on 11 April. He will instead visit Sarajevo on 11 April instead, together with Council of Europe and Venice Commission technical experts, for a series of consultations aiming at how best to address the Sejdić-Finci ruling, said a press release. BiH must implement the Sejdić-Finci judgement. “Until these conditions are fulfilled it will not be possible to consider further steps for Bosnia and Herzegovina on its EU path” said Mr. Fule.
The BiH’s political parties announced yesterday that they will finally allow citizens to be Members of the Presidency and House of Peoples of Bosnia and Herzegovina regardless of nationality.
