WELCOMING ADDRESS BY THE PRESIDENT OF THE ASSEMBLY TO
MR ADNAN TERZIC,
PRIME MINISTER OF BOSNIA AND HERZEGOVINA
(Strasbourg, Tuesday 21 June 2005)

 21/06 2005

It is my pleasure to welcome in our midst Mr Adnan Terzic, Prime Minister of Bosnia-Herzegovina.

Mr Prime Minister,

As we approach the 10th anniversary of the end of the war and the start of the implementation of the Dayton General Framework Agreement, Bosnia and Herzegovina takes stock of its achievements in its efforts to build a functioning pluralist democracy and a state governed by the rule of law and respect for human rights.  We are all very keen to hear more from you on progress to date.

Within a year of its accession to the Council of Europe, Bosnia and Herzegovina fulfilled almost all major formal commitments.  We hope you will show the same determination in implementing the adopted legislation and all Council of Europe standards.

The recent increase in the number of voluntary surrenders and transfers of indictees from Bosnia and Herzegovina to the ICTY is to be welcomed.  The Council of Europe and this Assembly urges you to continue cooperation with the ICTY to ensure that all indictees that continue to evade international justice are brought before the tribunal. The way towards the future of Bosnia and Herzegovina goes through The Hague. We all hope that the 10th anniversary of the massacres of Srebrenica on 11 July will be an occasion to foster reconciliation and move forward.

The way forward though, is not an easy one.  Significant hurdles remain to be overcome in order for Bosnia and Herzegovina to fully integrate into Europe.  I would like to reassure you that the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe stands steadfastly at the side of the people and authorities of Bosnia and Herzegovina in their efforts to find their rightful place in the European family and build a better future for their country.

Mr Prime Minister, you have the floor.