Local view for "http://purl.org/linkedpolitics/eu/plenary/2006-02-15-Speech-3-096"
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"en.20060215.11.3-096"2
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".
Bosnia and Herzegovina has finally started to negotiate a stabilisation and association agreement and these negotiations are making successful progress. This is a good thing. It is encouraging and deserves our total respect and admiration.
It is difficult to find a country anywhere in the world with as complicated and demanding a state structure as that of Bosnia and Herzegovina and this makes their achievements and their progress all the greater. I am truly delighted with this and we in the Group of the Alliance of Liberals and Democrats for Europe support the efforts of the politicians and the impetus of the citizens of Bosnia and Hercegovina and we salute their determination to make even more rapid progress.
Ten years after the massacre in Srebrenica and the cessation of hostilities with the signing of the Dayton Accord, it is high time that the constitution of the country was modified and that the kind of state, cantonal and local administrative structures were restored that will help rather than hinder Bosnia in the adoption and implementation of the laws and practices that we are familiar with in the European Union. They should be building more on the rights of individuals, of the citizens of Bosnia and Herzegovina (and tomorrow citizens of the European Union), and less on affiliation to religious and ethnic groups.
In this respect Bosnia and Herzegovina can expect a demanding transition period and we all have to help the country during this time – the Commission, the Council and, at this time in particular, the incoming High Representative, who should use his own powers less while encouraging the state agencies of Bosnia to take on more responsibility and jurisdiction.
The reduction in the military presence in Bosnia and the transfer of the control of the mission from NATO to the EU is clear and convincing evidence of progress in this direction. However, without full cooperation with the Hague tribunal we cannot move forward. Just as Serbia and Montenegro has until the end of the month to find and extradite Mladić, so Bosnia and Herzegovina, or Republika Srbska to be precise, must extradite Karadžić – this is a prerequisite for forgiveness and reconciliation.
We must be aware that the road to the European Union will demand more than anything else improved multilateral relations and respect between all neighbours. Christian, orthodox and islamic civilisations lived in peaceful coexistence in Bosnia and Hercegovina. They spoke the same language and understood each other without difficulty. Now three different languages are spoken there but they can still understand each other and there is now increased and better communication between them.
With the recent problems with the cartoons it is right and proper that we remember the painful history of Bosnia and Herzegovina. Perhaps this will bring us down to earth and perhaps we will then amend the visa regime more easily and with greater urgency."@en1
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