The High Judicial and Prosecutorial Council (HJPC) plays a crucial role in restoring public trust in the judiciary and must lead by example, said Head of the OSCE Mission in Bosnia and Herzegovina, Kathleen Kavalec, congratulating the new Council leadership that was elected on Wednesday.

“The Mission supports the HJPC BiH as the essential institution mandated to ensure the independence, impartiality, and professionalism of the BiH judiciary. The HJPC, as the body charged not only with appointing judges and prosecutors but also with the creation, review, and dissemination of judicial policy in BiH has a crucial role to play in restoring public trust in judicial institutions and must lead judicial reform efforts,” said Bosnia’s OSCE Mission chief, stressing that this institution can best lead by example upholding the highest ethical standards while working to strengthen appointment processes and disciplinary proceedings.

“The OSCE Mission to BiH remains a close partner to the HJPC and looks forward to co-operation with the newly elected HJPC leadership in all these processes aimed to strengthen the integrity, transparency and accountability of the BiH judiciary,” said Kavalec.

The HJPC members decided on Wednesday in a secret ballot that Halil Lagumdzija will be the new President, while Sanela Gorusanovic-Butigan and Biljana Simeunovic were elected as Vice Presidents.

The post has been vacant since mid-December last year when former President Milan Tegeltija resigned over alleged involvement in an appointment affair.

Until yesterday, the newly appointed VP Sanela Gorucanovic-Butigan performed the duty of the acting President of the HJPC.