The High Representative and EU Special Representative, Miroslav Lajčák, today urged the newly formed State Property Commission to reach agreement on the apportionment of state property by the end of September.

“The appointment of new members to the State Property Commission is extremely encouraging,” the High Representative and EU Special Representative said. “The Commission must now focus on meeting the deadline set by the Peace Implementation’s Steering Board at its June meting.”

Resolution of state property issues continues to be an important goal in the reform process in Bosnia and Herzegovina.

At its June meeting, the Steering Board expressed dissatisfaction with the three-year failure of the state and entity authorities to agree on apportionment of state property that had obliged the High Representative to extend the ban on its disposal.

It also called on the Chairman of the Council of Ministers and the Entity Prime Ministers to reach an inter-governmental agreement and asked the High Representative “to undertake efforts to bring this issue to a conclusion before the end of September”.

Until appropriate legislation is in place, the Office of the High Representative expects the State Property Commission to continue monitoring implementation of the law banning disposals of State Property and granting exemptions to the ban when appropriate.