Accountability Coalition and OHR Lajcak Discuss European Integrations in BiH

Representatives of the NGOs gathered in the Accountability Coalition met yesterday, May 7, 2008, with Miroslav Lajcak, High Representative and special representative of the EU in Bosnia and Herzegovina and discussed the possibilities to accelerate the progress of Bosnia and Herzegovina on the road to European integrations. OHR Miroslav Lajcak Accountability Coalition representatives insisted that the principle of accountability of elected officials is established as fundamental principles on which democracy and democratic relations in B&H will be built, and that legal framework should be created to allow citizens to take active participation in the work of parliament and government bodies on all levels of government. - Openness of decision-making institutions is a prerequisite for their efficiency and condition sine qua non for the reforms that await the BiH society. The responsibility for the development of democracy can\\\\\\\'t be left solely to the political elites, which was the case in BiH for too long, says the Coalition in a public statement (attached to this Article). Coalition representatives reiterated their dedication to European integrations, including concrete activities towards anticipated requirements that the country has to meet on its road to EU, such as the preparation of draft-laws on agency for prevention of corruption and prevention of discrimination. At the same time, they expressed their fears that executive power has little understanding and reception for civil society`s initiatives, well illustrated by the example of the said draft-laws that failed to meet with adequate support. - The civil society in Bosnia and Herzegovina can\\\\\\\'t be excluded from public affairs and allow that government and politics are the only arbiter. Civil society can and should have the key role in the process of accession to the European Union, add the Coalition representatives. High Representative Lajčak said after the meeting that the essence of European integration processes is not to get a date for the signing the Stabilization and Association Agreement (SAA) – noting, by the way, his conviction that it will be signed on May 26 – but in the preparedness of B&H institutions to respond to the obligations that arise from the process. Nada Ler Sofronic iz Centra Zena i Drustvo Lajčak encouraged the representatives of the B&H nongovernmental sector to make their contributions in that area and to act as `conscience of the society, public overview of state institutions and the voice of the citizens`, and supported the continuation of dialogue with civil society on the European path for B&H, promising OHR`s full support for the intention to promote the civil sector as one of the key actors in the process of accession to EU. - Irresponsible and populist policies of government structures has cost the country some dramatic delays of reforms and getting closer to Europe. Instead of its hypocritical rhetoric that just compares who entered Europe first and why is it that we are last, the state and international factors should, we recommend, start using the respectable expert, activist and pro-European potentials of the civil society in Bosnia and Herzegovina. We want to move from the margins to the centre of action – we want to be partners and actors with true influence on decision making centres. We don`t want to be a decoration. We are a part of the critical civic consciousness of this society. We are, to put it simply, citizens who have had it enough with the nationalist and corrupt leadership of the country. We want a constant dialogue with the Office of the High Representative, not sporadic, ritual meetings. After the meeting yesterday, my impression is that Lajčak is serious about his intents in that regard, says Nada Ler-Sofronić from the Women and Society Centre, member of the Accountability Coalition. The Accountability Coalition includes – the Alumni Association of the Centre for Interdisciplinary Studies - ACIPS; Agency for Local Development Initiatives - ALDI; Centre of Political Studies – CEPOS; Women and Society Centre; Centre for promotion of Civil Society; Civil Initiatives Centres; Open Society Fund BiH; CURE Foundation; OneWorld Foundation - owpsee; Helsinki Committee for Human Rights in BiH; Global Rights; Initiative and Civic Action – ICVA; IBHI; Transparency International BiH; and Why Not association.

Attached files

Public statement by Accountability Coalition 29.00 KB