High Representative Allows Removed Officials to hold Non Managerial Public Positions

The High Representative, Paddy Ashdown, is today issuing a Decision allowing all officials who have been removed from their positions - with the exception of those officials who were removed for ICTY obstruction and/or PIFWC support - to apply for, and hold if selected, non- managerial public positions within administrative bodies that are appointed through open competition.

Officials removed by the High Representative will continue to be banned from standing for elections, and from holding any position in public bodies responsible for public security, defense and intelligence - such as the state level Ministry of Security and Ministry of Defense, the State investigation and Protection Agency and the State Border Service, and entity Ministries of Interior.   

The High Representative's initiative reflects the International Community's view that as Bosnia and Herzegovina has marked the tenth anniversary of the signing of the Dayton/Paris Peace Agreement with the opening of Stabilisation and Association negotiations with the European Union, the process of handing responsibility back to the BiH institutions should be continued.

"The time has come to take another concrete step towards handing over responsibility for running the country to the institution of Bosnia and Herzegovina ,'' said the High Representative. "The implementation of this Decision represents a test of maturity for the BiH institutions and for the political establishment as a whole. This is a process which can be either widened or reversed in the coming period, according to results,'' he added.