The Council of Europe decided to open an Office of the Secretariat of the Council of Europe in Bosnia and Herzegovina in April 1996 in Sarajevo based on Annex 6 (Agreement on Human Rights) to the General Framework Agreement for Peace in Bosnia and Herzegovina, signed in Paris on 14 December 1995, under which it was to contribute to the establishment of the Human Rights Commission of Bosnia and Herzegovina, help the Institution of Human Rights Ombudsman and appoint foreign judges in accordance with Annexes 4 and 7 to the Dayton Peace Agreement.

In addition to providing active assistance with the implementation of Annex 6 to the Framework Agreement, the task of the Office initially was to help prepare Bosnia and Herzegovina for reaching the standards necessary for full membership in the Council of Europe following the application it submitted in April 1995, and also to promote the values of the Council of Europe.

An exchange of letters between the Secretary General of the Council of Europe and the Foreign Affairs Minister of Bosnia and Herzegovina led to an agreement concerning the status of the Office of the Secretariat of the Council of Europe in Sarajevo, as well as the status of Council of Europe officials and experts.

Over time the Office expanded its activities and today, in addition to the initial activities that have been accomplished, it covers more or less all areas in which the Council of Europe is active.

Staff members of the CoE Office in Sarajevo:

Central Office:

§ Ambassador Drahoslav Stefanek, Head of Office

§ Loreta Vioiu, Deputy Head of Office

§ Nada Durmic, Assistant to the Head and Deputy Head of Office

§ Anesa Bektesevic, Finance and Office Management Assistant

§ Mirza Sose, Finance and Office Management Assistant

§ Nedzad Hodzic, Driver

Initiative for Legal Certainty and Efficient Judiciary in Bosnia and Herzegovina

§ Sanel Karadjuz, Project Manager

§ Sadzida Tulic, Project Assistant

Enhancing human rights protection for detained and sentenced persons

§ Marica Bender, Project Manager

§ Nejla Sahacic, Project Assistant

Structured sentence management for violent and extremist prisoners in Bosnia and Herzegovina

§ Predrag Sofranac, Programme Manager 

§ Amna Kajtaz, Project Assistant

 School of Political Studies

§ Esad Mavric, Project Officer

Reinforcing Judicial Expertise on Freedom of Expression and the Media in South-East Europe (JUFREX)

§ Vanja Ibrahimbegovic-Tihak, Project Officer

§ Ilda Besic, Project Assistant

Promoting good governance and Roma empowerment at local level – ROMACTED

§ Maja Grujic, Project Officer

Strengthening the Protection of National Minorities

 § Maja Lukic-Schade, Project Officer

Quality Education in Multi-ethnic Societies

 § Zorica Lesic, Project Officer

§ Djana Dzafic, Project Assistant

Raising BIH Institutional Capacity to Prevent and Combat Violence against Women and Domestic Violence

§ Viktorija Ruzicic-Tokic, Project Officer