Accountability Coalition and OHR Lajcak Discuss European Integrations in BiH

Accountability Coalition
representatives insisted
that the principle of
accountability of elected
officials is established as
fundamental principles on
which democracy and
democratic relations in
B&H will be built, and that
legal framework should be
created to allow citizens to take active participation in
the work of parliament and government bodies on all
levels of government.

Openness of decision-making institutions is a
prerequisite for their efficiency and condition sine qua
non for the reforms that await the BiH society. The
responsibility for the development of democracy
can't be left solely to the political elites, which
was the case in BiH for too long, says the Coalition in a
public statement (attached to this Article).

Coalition representatives reiterated their dedication to
European integrations, including concrete activities
towards anticipated requirements that the country has
to meet on its road to EU, such as the preparation of
draft-laws on agency for prevention of corruption and
prevention of discrimination.

At the same time, they expressed their fears that
executive power has little understanding and reception for civil society`s initiatives, well illustrated by the
example of the said draft-laws that failed to meet with
adequate support.

The civil society in Bosnia and Herzegovina can't
be excluded from public affairs and allow that
government and politics are the only arbiter. Civil
society can and should have the key role in the process
of accession to the European Union, add the Coalition
representatives.

High Representative Lajčak said after the meeting
that the essence of European integration processes is
not to get a date for the signing the Stabilization and
Association Agreement (SAA) – noting, by the way, his
conviction that it will be signed on May 26 – but in the
preparedness of B&H institutions to respond to the
obligations that arise from the process.

Lajčak encouraged the
representatives of the B&H
nongovernmental sector to
make their contributions in
that area and to act as
`conscience of the society,
public overview of state
institutions and the voice of
the citizens`, and supported
the continuation of dialogue
with civil society on the
European path for B&H,
promising OHR`s full
support for the intention to
promote the civil sector as one of the key actors in the
process of accession to EU.

Irresponsible and populist policies of government
structures has cost the country some dramatic delays of
reforms and getting closer to Europe. Instead of its
hypocritical rhetoric that just compares who entered
Europe first and why is it that we are last, the state
and international factors should, we recommend, start
using the respectable expert, activist and
pro-European potentials of the civil society in Bosnia
and Herzegovina. We want to move from the margins to
the centre of action – we want to be partners and
actors with true influence on decision making centres.
We don`t want to be a decoration. We are a part of the
critical civic consciousness of this society. We are, to
put it simply, citizens who have had it enough with the
nationalist and corrupt leadership of the country. We
want a constant dialogue with the Office of the High
Representative, not sporadic, ritual meetings. After the
meeting yesterday, my impression is that Lajčak is
serious about his intents in that regard, says Nada
Ler-Sofronić from the Women and Society Centre,
member of the Accountability Coalition.

The Accountability Coalition includes – the Alumni
Association of the Centre for Interdisciplinary Studies – ACIPS; Agency for Local Development Initiatives – ALDI;
Centre of Political Studies – CEPOS; Women and Society
Centre; Centre for promotion of Civil Society; Civil
Initiatives Centres; Open Society Fund BiH; CURE
Foundation; OneWorld Foundation – owpsee; Helsinki
Committee for Human Rights in BiH; Global Rights;
Initiative and Civic Action – ICVA; IBHI; Transparency
International BiH; and Why Not association.