Gregorian: Work of Institution of BiH Ombudsmen is of utmost importance

Acting High Representative Raffi Gregorian met today with the three Ombudsmen for Human Rights of BiH, Ivo Bradvica, Jasminka Dzumhur, and Ljubomir Sandic, who were appointed by the BiH Parliamentary Assembly in December 2008. “Issues of human rights are of outmost importance and the purpose of my visit today is to congratulate the members of this crucial institution in person and express OHR’s support for the BiH Ombudsmen’s office and its work,” said Gregorian. The functionality of the institution of the Ombudsmen of Human Rights of BiH is a Council of Europe post accession requirement, while the completion of the merger of the State and Entity Ombudsmen institutions is also a short-term European Partnership priority.

The Acting High Representative urges competent domestic authorities to undertake all remaining measures necessary to ensure the full implementation of the 2006 Law on the BiH Ombudsmen and the merger of state and entity institutions, including the transfer of assets and documentation to the BiH Ombudsmen Institution. The merger is awaiting adoption by Republika Srpska of the necessary transitional legislation.  He told the three Ombudsmen that he believed that the many supporters of human rights in the Republika Srpska National Assembly will succeed in finally adopting the long overdue transitional legislation.

The Acting High Representative expressed the view that the authorities in BiH should not only provide the Ombudsmen’s office with the regulatory and financial wherewithal to be a truly independent body acting as a guardian of human rights, but also ensure that the recommendations of the BiH Ombudsmen Institution regarding human rights violations are fully respected and acted upon.