The first thematic plenary session of the EU–BiH Structured Dialogue was convened in Brussels this afternoon, in the premises of the European Commission. Chairman of the Bosnia and Herzegovina Working Group on Judiciary and Internal Affairs, Mr Bakir Dautbasic, and the European Commission Acting Director for Western Balkans, Ms Paola Pampaloni, co-chaired the meeting between the EU and Bosnia and Herzegovina, which was also attended by the EUSR and Head of EU Delegation to Bosnia and Herzegovina, Ambassador Peter Sorensen. The session was specifically focused on assessing the new draft law on Courts of BiH, in light of the most recent opinion of the Venice Commission.
Therefore, the Secretary General and director of the Venice Commission, Mr.Thomas Markert also attended the meeting and presented the perspectives of that institution on the proposed reform and the latest drafted amendments.
Participants engaged in a thorough discussion. EU representatives took note of the positive convergence amongst all stakeholders on the main features of the proposed reform, which are the establishment of a new state level court of appeal, as the second instance mirroring the first instance jurisdiction of the Court of BiH, as well as the contextual clarification of the competences of the state level judiciary, particularly when it comes to its extended criminal jurisdiction.
