19/11/2010 Political Affairs and Democracy
Strasbourg, 19.11.2010 – Presenting his memorandum on reconciliation and political dialogue between the countries of the former Yugoslavia,* made public during a meeting of the Political Affairs Committee meeting in Paris yesterday, PACE rapporteur Pietro Marcenaro (Italy, SOC) pointed out that – since the committee had embarked on this report in January 2009 – the governments concerned had made many positive steps, indicating a greater willingness to overcome the legacy of the past.
According to the rapporteur, major remaining problems include the constitutional deadlock which continues to be an obstacle to Bosnia and Herzegovina’s progress towards a fully-fledged democracy, the existence of almost half a million refugees and internally displaced persons, who remain the most visible reminder of the conflict, as well as determining the fate of some 17,000 missing persons.
Other issues to be discussed in his report are the investigation and prosecution of war crimes, public discourse concerning the war, history teaching about the war and the proposal of a truth and reconciliation commission, the wider context of EU integration, inter-parliamentary dialogue and regional integration.
After his visits to Serbia and Croatia, and a visit to Bosnia and Herzegovina scheduled for 22-23 November and to Brussels on 29-30 November, Mr Marcenaro will finalise his report, with a view to an Assembly debate at the next PACE plenary session in Strasbourg (24-28 January 2011). It is due to be discussed together with reports on the protection of witnesses as a cornerstone for justice and reconciliation in the Balkans (by Jean-Charles Gardetto, Monaco, EPP/DC) and the obligation of Council of Europe member states to co-operate in the prosecution of war crimes (by Miljenko Doric, Croatia, ALDE).
* This term is used to describe the territory that up until 25 June 1991 was known as the Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia (SFRY).