The international community is a part of the problem in Bosnia and Herzegovina, said Bosnian Presidency Chairman Milorad Dodik on Thursday, commenting on a meeting the US Embassy's representatives held last week with some of Bosnia's judicial officials to discuss the legislation defining appointment of judges and prosecutors.
The meeting triggered a strong reaction of Ruzica Jukic, the vice-president of a special state-level body that monitors the work of Bosnia's judiciary, who assessed the meeting as “baffling.”
“No embassy has the right to interfere in the election of the chief prosecutor or any other judicial position nor to impose its solutions,” Jukic said on Wednesday.
According to Dodik, Jukic had “full right” to complain about the meeting.
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“International community is a part of the problem in Bosnia and Herzegovina. I would like to express support to the vice-president of the High Judicial and Prosecutorial Council in her assessment. That's a matter of principle,” Dodik told media on Thursday.
Dodik, who represents Bosnia's Serb-dominated entity Republika Srpska in the State Presidency, recalled that he has many times asked for “a change of the system, improvement of the effects of the judicial system” but that he was blamed for making pressure.
“You're not allowed to have an opinion here. If you have one, if you have a stance, you get a lawsuit immediately. What kind of country this is?” he said.
Bosnian Serb leader also responded to the international administrator in Bosnia, who said he might use the special powers he was assigned with when he took the office of the High Representative, which monitors the civil part of the implementation of the 1995 Peace Agreement in Bosnia.
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Speaking in N1's programme on Wednesday, High Representative Valentin Inzko said he would use the Bonn powers “when the moment is right.” His words came as a response to the criticism over refraining from the use of the Bonn powers against Dodik.
“I provoke him to do that, let's see how strong he is,” said Bosnian Serb leader.
“You will remove someone? You won't. That time is over and it is about time for you to leave, and not to do something again in regard to that. Inzko receives €24,000 salary plus a paid residence, plus paid trips home, he accumulates about €40,000 per month and of course, he will fight for that and that's why he sends negative reports,” said Dodik.
