30/09/2008 Session
Strasbourg, 30.09.2008 - In a resolution adopted today, PACE called upon the authorities of Bosnia and Herzegovina to step up their efforts with regard to constitutional reforms, which should be implemented on the basis of a shared vision of the development of the country’s institutions, while respecting the autonomy of the two Entities and the Brcko district. “Without proper reforms, and in the absence of co-operation between the various structures and institutions at the level of the state and the Entities, Bosnia and Herzegovina will not be able to make full use of the benefits of European integration,” said the co-rapporteurs from the Monitoring Committee, Mevlüt Çavusoglu (Turkey, EDG) and Kimmo Sasi (Finland, EPP/CD).
In addition, the Assembly drew attention to the increase in nationalist and ethnic rhetoric, in the context of the campaign for the October 2008 local election. It also condemned the discrimination and violence against LGBTs and the recent attacks against organizers and participants of the Sarajevo Queer Festival and journalists.