MANY PROMISES, FEW KEPT

Another Forum of the Federation

AIM Sarajevo, 21 August, 1997

The international representatives have exerted pressure on the partners in power in B&H Federation once again. At the latest session of the Forum of the Federation held last night in Sarajevo, head of the USA mission, Robert M. Beecroft, and deputy of the high representative, Gerd Wagner, who chaired the session, succeeded in talking the highest representatives of the federal authorities into promising to discharge previously agreed obligations. Of course, the latest agreement in itself does not mean much, especially because it refers to obligations assumed before, but not met to this day, if the international mediators have not this time found the right and efficacious way to prevent it from remaining nothing but a dead letter. It refers to issues and problems from the sphere of police and judiciary, return of people and their rights, property laws, as well as others which were the obstacle for beginning of operation of the Federation.

The chairmen of the Forum offered to the federal partners to adopt and consider 14 items which would resolve the mentioned issues and problems. However, the question of the law on municipalities, especially the newly established one - Usora, remained unresolved. The offered proposal to decide about the controversial municipal borders of Usora by 1 September this year was rejected. Prime minister of the federal government, Edhem Bicaksic, demanded that Mirsad Ceman and Fuad Sisic, who are directly involved in its resolution, state their opinion about this issue. No specific agreement has been reached about the amendment of the constitution of the Herzegovina-Neretva canton either, which should be the foundation for organizing the city of Mostar. Croat representatives in the authorities of the canton believe that this, previously agreed amendment is unconstitutional and lodged a complaint with the constitutional court. The international mediators will, however, once again, try to reach an agreement about this issue directly with the representatives of the cantonal authorities, and resolve the status of Mostar. Because of this amendment, but because of operation and work of the authorities there in general, Beecroft addressed sharp criticism on account of Ivan Bender as well, suggesting to him to withdraw from the post if he was not capable of implementing the agreed. Bender's answer was short and in the sense that it was too late for that.

Criticism because of the amendment, but this time of the constitution of the Sarajevo canton which would finally constitute the authorities in this city, was addressed also at the Bosniac representatives in the authorities. The American mediator was clear concerning this issue when he said that organization of city authorities in Sarajevo had to be carried out independently from those in Mostar and in accordance with the previously signed protocol.

Representatives of the authorities of the Federation, but also SDA and HDZ activists and leaders did not agree with the proposal of the chairmen to discuss certain public corporations which should operate on the territory of the Federation, nor about certain unresolved issues referring to organization of electronic media, especially RTV B&H.

As concerning organization of police, the federal partners agreed to immediately complete establishment of joint police in Herzegovina-Neretva canton. This process should have been completed in central Bosnian district by 31 August this year. Integrated judicial bodies must be established in an urgency procedure, along with the joint police structures in the cantons with the special regime. Pursuant the agreement, the entire police in the Federation should be integrated and reorganized by 9 September this year.

Participants of the session of the Forum greeted the process of return of refugees and displaced persons in the central Bosnian canton, especially Jajce, and special accent was put on the town of Bugojno. Recent attacks on returnees in Bugojno and Stolac were condemned, and municipal authorities and police invited to carry out a thorough investigation, and to make their findings public by 1 September and raise criminal charges against the perpetrators.

The agreement which is also especially significant is the one according to which the parliament of the B&H Federation, again in accordance with the promise president of B&H Presidency Alija Izetbegovic gave on the occasion of his latest meeting with Tudjman in Split, should by 30 September consider and adopt laws on cessation of implementation of the law on abandoned housing units, on regulation of implementation of the law on temporarily abandoned property owned by the citizens and about amendments of the law on housing relations.

There is no doubt, there are plenty of taken obligations and time limits for meeting them are very close. That is why it only remains to be seen whether partners in the Federation will keep their promises or, like so many times before, abuse the trust placed in them by the international community.

Mirjana MICEVSKA