“While I appreciate your efforts to ensure peaceful elections in October, I do not consider some of these proposals to be consistent with this vision,” wrote Alicia Kearns.
Regarding the possible imposition of amendments to the Constitution of the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina and the Election Law of Bosnia and Herzegovina, BH UK Network wrote to members of the British Parliament and its patrons, expressing the concerns of the Bosnian community on the Island.
We were surprised by media reports that the UK supports such a use of the Bonn Powers, even though imposing possible changes would be highly controversial, would not address the identified electoral shortcomings and could trigger a new political and security crisis.
As the voice of Bosnians and Herzegovinians in the UK, we firmly believe that the proposed OHR decisions would deepen ethnic divisions, legitimize wartime ethnic cleansing, expand discrimination against citizens to vote and be elected, and make the return of refugees to their homes meaningless in accordance with Annex 7 of the Dayton Peace Agreement.
We are pleased that Alicia Kearns, Patron of the BH UK Network and Chair of the All-Parliamentary Group for Bosnia and Herzegovina in the UK Parliament, has written to the High Representative, Christian Schmidt, seeking further clarification on the possible announced amendments to the Election Law.
After analyzing the submitted proposals and talking to people in the UK, Bosnia and Herzegovina, and the international community, Alicia today sent another letter to Christian Schmidt and publicly expressed that she does not support the proposed amendments to the Constitution of the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina and the Election Law of Bosnia and Herzegovina.
“I believe that the citizens of Bosnia and Herzegovina want to see their country strive for better, expanding their right to be represented by elected officials who have the interests and ambitions of multiethnic communities at heart. We need to work to ensure that the system is not defined by sectarianism. Now is the time for solutions that will advance this nation.”
In a new letter to Schmidt she stated:
“Since your appointment, you have acted calmly and decisively to help maintain stability in Bosnia and Herzegovina. It is vital to calm the tensions of those who feel that their rights and future are threatened by these possible changes. I have written to my government to express my concerns about the same and as always I would like to discuss this with you.”
We are delivering the letter we sent to the parliamentarians of Great Britain and the letter that was received today Alicia Kearns referred to the High Representative.
BH UK Network Board of Directors
