OHR's Statement at the International Agencies’ Joint Press Conference in Mostar

OHR condemns violence


OHR is aware of the reports that the Imam of the Babi-Besir Mosque was the subject of an assault yesterday morning. OHR condemns all acts of violence and we look to the competent law enforcement agencies to act to ensure that the perpetrators are brought to justice.


 


MPs Can Pay Themselves More When Living Standards Start to Rise


As you know, the FBiH House of Representatives yesterday adopted the Law on the Rights of Elected Officials, giving themselves more generous compensation. This will cost taxpayers several million additional KM each year – that's several million KM that can't be spent on public services. It will also increase demands from other civil servants for higher salaries.


Voters may conclude that the authorities in this country are more concerned about their own needs than the needs of citizens. That's an issue for the October election. However, in the meantime it is important that the House of Peoples considers seriously the implications of this bill when it comes before the House. Budgetary responsibility is a basic prerequisite for attracting investment and creating jobs in BiH. This bill sends all the wrong signals, to investors as well as to citizens.


No one is denying that parliamentarians in BiH ought to be paid in an appropriate way. They have an important and a difficult job to do.


But that applies to teachers and doctors and road workers and postmen too. The time to consider improving MPs benefits is when living standards as a whole have started to rise.


This fact should also be borne in mind by members of the BiH Parliament, when a similar piece of legislation comes before the PA next week.


 


High Representative Pays His Respects to Srebrenica Victims


The High Representative and EU Special Representative, Christian Schwarz-Schilling, will tomorrow visit the Srebrenica-Potocari Memorial and Cemetery. The High Representative will lay a wreath and pay his respects to the memory of those who were killed in and around the town during its siege and after its fall in July 1995.


There will be a photo opportunity during the High Representative's visit, at 10.30 on 29 June 2006 at the Srebrenica-Potocari Cemetery.


Other details of this visit will follow later today.

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