The Head of the EU Delegation to Bosnia and Herzegovina and EU Special Representative in BiH, Ambassador Peter Sorensen, wrote today to Mr Milorad Novkovic to congratulate him on concluding his mandate as the President of the High Judicial and Prosecutorial Council of Bosnia and Herzegovina. In the letter, Ambassador Sorensen underlined the importance of the integrity of a state-wide High Judicial and Prosecutorial Council.

“You rightly recognised the need for furthering the reforms to help increase the professionalism and efficiency of an accountable and independent judicial system in Bosnia and Herzegovina, as a prerequisite for future integration in the European Union”, Ambassador Sorensen wrote in the letter, thanking Mr Novkovic for defending independence of the judiciary in BiH and supporting the EU-BiH Structured Dialogue on Justice.

Recognising Mr Novkovic’s commitment to pursuing the entrenchment of the rule of law in Bosnia and Herzegovina, the Head of the EU Delegation/EUSR said that he is looking forward to working with his successor, Mr Milan Tegeltija, in the interests of the HJPC and of the judiciary of Bosnia and Herzegovina. Bearing in mind Mr Tegeltija’s efforts over the past years as the President of the Banja Luka Basic Court and as the President of the BiH Association of Judges, Ambassador Sorensen noted that he expects that the HJPC will remain, under Mr Tegeltija’s leadership, one of main interlocutors in the process of Structured Dialogue on Justice between the EU and BiH.