A delegation from the Congress of Local and Regional Authorities of the Council of Europe carried out a monitoring visit to Bosnia and Herzegovina from 20 to 22 November 2018. The delegation examined the situation of local and regional democracy in the light of the provisions of the European Charter of Local Self-Government, ratified by the country in 2002.
Rapporteurs on local and regional democracy, Ms Lelia HUNZIKER (Switzerland, SOC) and Ms Carla DEJONGHE (Belgium, ILDG), focused on the developments in the field of local and regional self-government occurred in Bosnia and Herzegovina since the adoption of the last Congress monitoring recommendation, in March 2012.
Meetings were scheduled in the cities of Sarajevo, East Sarajevo and Banja Luka, in particular, with Mr Safet SOFTIĆ, Speaker of the House of Peoples of the Parliamentary Assembly of Bosnia and Herzegovina, Mr Mato TADIĆ, Vice-President of the Constitutional Court of Bosnia and Herzegovina, Ms Nives JUKIĆ and Ms Jasminka DŽUMHUR, Human Rights Ombudspersons of Bosnia and Herzegovina, Mr Milan TRIVIĆ, Deputy Mayor of Sarajevo, Mr Miroslav LUČIĆ, President of the East Sarajevo City Council, and Mr Esed KADRIĆ, President of the Brčko District Assembly.
In Banja Luka the delegation met Ms Lejla RESIC, Minister of Administration and Local Self-government of the Republika Srpska, Mr Dzerard SELMAN, President of the Constitutional Court of the Republika Srpska, Mr Igor RADOJICIC, Mayor of Banja Luka, and Mr Jovo RADUKIĆ, Auditor General of the Supreme Office for the Republika Srpska Public Sector Auditing.
The delegation held discussions with the members of the National Delegation of Bosnia and Herzegovina to the Congress, the representatives of the Association of municipalities and cities of the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina and the Association of local authorities of Republic of Srpska.
The second part of the visit in Bosnia and Herzegovina will take place in February 2019.
The draft report and recommendation will be examined and submitted for approval at the Committee on the honoring of obligations and commitments by member states of the European charter of local self-government (Monitoring Committee) at one of its next meetings before its submission for adoption by the Congress Session in 2019.
Bosnia and Herzegovina ratified the European Charter of Local Self-Government in 2002. The countries which have ratified the Charter are bound by its provisions. The Charter requires compliance with a minimum number of rights, which form the European bedrock of local self-government. The Congress of Local and Regional Authorities makes sure that these principles are observed.
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