At today’s ministerial meeting of the EU-backed Structured Dialogue on Justice, representatives of the entities, Brcko, and BiH signed a protocol outlining the most urgent justice sector reforms. Republika Srpska Minister of Justice Anton Kasipovic, his Federation counterpart Mato Jozic, Brcko Judicial Commission head Safet Pizovic, and BiH Minister of Justice Josip Grubesa all participated in the meeting led by EU Commissioner for Enlargement Johannes Hahn.
“I welcome the commitment reiterated by the representatives of Bosnia and Herzegovina and its entities to work together on the key issues of the judicial reform,” said Hahn in a statement.
“The European Commission stands ready to actively supporting this process and I expect all sides to contribute to its successful implementation with a constructive approach,” he added.
The protocol signed today covers four main points. This first of these is that the Dialogue participants will base reforms of the BiH Court upon the latest draft of a revised Law on Courts of BiH, which was developed and circulated by the RS. According to RS Justice Minister Kasipovic, that fact has “broken the stereotype” that RS officials are “against everything.”
“Until we have a new law, a new product, there is a lot of work, but I think we have the will. We had difficult discussions and it was not easy to explain all our objections. But I think they were largely understood and I am more hopeful about the final product,” he added.
The protocol, which can be read in full here, also covers reforms of the BiH Prosecutor’s Office, the High Judicial and Prosecutorial Council, and the BiH War Crimes Strategy.
