The High Representative and EU Special Representative, Miroslav Lajčák, met Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina Prime Minister Nedzad Brankovic in Sarajevo late yesterday.

High Representative and EU Special Representative welcomed the FBiH Government’s plan to review of beneficiaries to ensure that those who really need help get it.

Looking to the October municipal elections the HR/EUSR expressed his concern that the FBiH has no legislation to cover Conflict of Interest. “Obviously with the elections coming up there is a particular urgency,” warned Lajčák. He recommended the FBiH introduce the provisional application of the State-law to the Federation.

The High Representative and EU Special Representative encouraged PM Brankovic to address the privatization of the energy and telecom sectors in the FBiH, which remain an issue of dispute among the Federation parties.

The HR/EUSR encouraged FBiH and RS discussions on the development of the Electroprenos company. The Peace Implementation Council has said that neither Entity can withdraw unilaterally from a previously agreed reform, and has called on the consolidation of state-level institutions to continue.

Reviewing progress on the objectives and conditions set by the Peace Implementation Council in February, the High Representative and EU Special Representative welcomed the quick adoption of the National Justice Sector Reform Strategy at FBiH level. He noted that the BiH Commission for State Property last October agreed on a functional-territorial principle for distribution under which the Entities would own the property not needed by the State.

“The BiH constitution does not state which level of government gets control over assets,” he said. “I expect that political leaders to make progress on this when they meet on 23 August”.