EU considering sanctions on uncooperative Bosnian politicians

Tue, 14 Dec 2010

Brussels - Bosnian politicians seen as disrupting the political process in the country could be faced with European Union sanctions, ministers from the bloc are poised to warn on Tuesday, according to draft papers seen by the German Press Agency dpa.

Bosnia is currently under the authority of an international special representative, who has the right, in extreme cases, to overrule and sanction national politicians.

That system is expected to end because it is seen as incompatible with EU membership. For the first time, EU ministers are expected to signal their readiness to replace it with targeted sanctions on uncooperative politicians.

EU foreign affairs chief Catherine Ashton is intending "to put forward a proposal to enable the Council (of EU states) to impose restrictive measures on people whose actions threaten the Dayton/Paris Peace Agreement," reads a draft from a meeting of EU affairs ministers meeting in Brussels on Tuesday.

The 1995 agreement put an end to more than three and a half years of bloody civil war, and fixed Bosnia's borders. But the leader of Bosnia's Serbs, Milorad Dodik, often challenges that set-up, threatening to secede from the federal state.

Because of arguments over its institutional set-up, and related power struggles between its Muslim, Serb and Croat politicians, Bosnia has been mired in political deadlock for years, turning it into a laggard on the EU path.

Ministers are expected to reiterate calls for the country to "urgently address" the stalemate.

Turning to other EU hopefuls, Croatia is expected to be told that conclusion of its accession talks "is within reach," but also urged to step up the fight against corruption, guarantee the rights of minorities and refugees, and pursue war crimes suspects.

Montenegro is set for a green-light on its application for official EU candidacy status, a step that is expected to be formalized by EU leaders meeting on Thursday and Friday.

Other Balkan nations are expected to be reminded of the EU's "unequivocal commitment" to integrate them into the bloc, but only once entry conditions are met.

Source: Earth Times.
Link: http://www.earthtimes.org/articles/news/358078,sanctions-uncooperative-bosnian-politicians.html.