International Secretariat of Transparency International open letter in the occasion of the RS Government latest attacks on TI BiH

Mr. Dimitris Kourkoulas
Head of European Commission Delegation in BiH
Skenderija 3a 71000,
Sarajevo
Bosnia and Herzegovina

Berlin, 11.11.2009

Your Excellency,

I am writing you on behalf of the International Secretariat of Transparency International (TI) to alert you about a renewed campaign by the Government of Republic of Srpska (RS) against Transparency International BiH (TI BiH), our National Chapter in Bosnia and Herzegovina, and seek your support to protect our colleagues there against repeated attempts of intimidation and threats.   

As you know, on November 9 2009, the Government of Republic of Srpska issued an official document, which was then adopted during the regular Government session on the same day. The title of the document is “False presentation of social and economic circumstances in RS” and its main thesis is that OHR and others, including TI BiH, are trying to deliberately create and maintain instability in RS.

The document states that TI BiH, together with other groups and individuals, runs a campaign with the aim of “undermining the economic foundation through malicious and untruthful presentation of social and economic circumstances in Republic of Srpska”. It is also important to say that statements from this document were quoted in the media, especially since Radio Television of Republic of Srpska dedicated a whole episode of political magazine “Pressing” to the accusations from the Government document. Additionally, the document was published as an addition to the November 11 issue of daily newspapers “Glas Srpske”, which clearly suggests that the RS Government again tries to discredit TI BiH through an organized campaign.

At Transparency International we deeply believe in democratic public discourse in which opposing opinions are absolutely legitimate.  Any vibrant democracy needs good public debates on issues relevant to the society. No one has the monopoly of wisdom, therefore, it is these public debates that

can lead to good and sustainable solutions of any problems a society is facing.

It is in this context that we express our deep concerns about the recent actions of the Government of RS.  Instead of engaging in a productive dialogue with their critics, they launch a campaign of intimidation against TI BiH and other groups and individuals that dare to voice their opinions.  Labelling watchdog NGOs and other civil society organisations as unpatriotic “enemies” of RS is fundamentally wrong and violates basic principles of democracy , freedom of speech, freedom of association – standards that are at the heart of the European Union.

Mr. Ambassador, with this public letter we urge you to convey a strong message to the Government of RS by reminding them of their constitutional obligation to respect civil society in general and the independent work of our National Chapter in particular.

Yours sincerely,

Miklos Marschall

Regional Director for Europe and Central Asia

Letter

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