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Delegation Reports
PARLIAMENTARY DELEGATION FROM BOSNIA
AND HERZEGOVINA:
2-6 JULY 2006
Delegation
Mr Goran Milojevic
Speaker, House of Peoples
Leader of the Delegation
Mr Nikola Spiric
Deputy Speaker, House of Representatives
Mr Sefic Dzaferovic
Deputy Speaker House of Representatives
Mr Muhamed Moranjkic
Member of the House of Representatives
Mr Aljosa Campara
General Secretary, Parliamentary Assembly
Mr Zlatko Vukmirovic
Public Relations Officer
Mr Samir Corovic
International Relations Officer
The delegation led by Speaker Milojevic arrived at Heathrow on Sunday,
2 July 2006.
They were met by Her Excellency Dr Tanja Milasinovic, Ambassador for Bosnia
& Herzegovina, and Mr Jim Rodgers, Deputy Secretary of the British
Group IPU.
The delegation were taken to the Marriot Hotel, County Hall and that evening
Sir Patrick Cormack MP, Chairman of the Bosnia & Herzegovina All Party
Parliamentary Group, very kindly hosted a dinner in their honour aboard
a cruise boat on the river Thames.
The official programme started on Monday morning with a meeting at the
Foreign Office with Mr Anthony Smith, Director of European Political Affairs
and Mr Angus Lapsley, Deputy Balkans Co-ordinator.
The discussion covered a brief synopsis of the advances made in the ten-year
period since the Dayton Agreement. It then concentrated on EU membership
with an emphasis on reform issues and touching on some current stumbling
blocks such as Police and Constitutional reform.
Finally, there was a look ahead at the up-coming elections and what needs
to be done over the next few years in order to bring the EU negotiations
to a successful conclusion.
The delegation then moved on to the House of Commons for a presentation
on Parliament Procedures by Mr Liam Laurence Smyth, Clerk of the Overseas
Office.
Lunch in the Atrium Restaurant was hosted by Sir Patrick Cormack MP who
then took the delegation to view some of the finer features of the Members
of Parliament church of St Margaret’s, Abingdon Street.
Back in the House of Commons, the visitors had an opportunity to view
Mr Speaker’s Procession before moving on to a meeting with Mr Mike
Gapes MP, Chair of the Foreign Affairs Committee and Sir John Stanley
MP, both of whom had recently visited Bosnia & Hertzegovina.
They explained how the committee sets about its work and how the Government
responds to its reports.
The delegation outlined the current situation of the reform process that
has now stalled and how they fully understand the implications this will
have on the Stabilisation and Association Agreement.
Dr Christopher Ward, Clerk of the Committee on Standards and Privileges
met the delegation to explain the procedures of his committee and the
work of the Commissioner for Standards.
The visitors were surprised to find out how few privileges Members of
Parliament enjoyed.
The last meeting of the day was in the Peers’ Dinning Room with
Lord Dubs, Chairman of the EU Enlargement All Party Group and Lord Hannay.
Here again they discussed some of the obstacles that their country faces
before they can contemplate membership of the EU. In the evening, John
Austin MP, Vice Chairman of the Bosnia & Herzegovina All Party Group,
hosted a dinner in honour of the delegation in the Astor Suite, 1 Parliament
Street.
Tuesday started with a tour of the Palace of Westminster conducted by
Gordon Prentice MP and was quickly followed by a two-hour round table
discussion with members of the BGIPU. The discussion was chaired by Mr
John Austin MP, member of the IPU International Executive Committee and
a member of the All Party Group.
They discussed the forthcoming elections and the proposed abolition of
the post of High Representative in 2007 and the passing of his powers
to politicians. Opposition delegates seem reluctant to assume this responsibility
without the continuing help of the international community.
The opposition also complained about the high level of crime in the country
(Drugs, Small Arms and People Trafficking) that continues because of a
strong Mafia presence and corruption among political leaders.
The whereabouts of the wanted war criminals Radovan Karadzic and Ratko
Mladic is uncertain. Mladic is believed to be in Serbia beyond their jurisdiction
but Karadzic is thought to be somewhere in the Bosnian/Montenegro area
and a greater effort should be made to track him down.
There are approximately 13000 lesser war criminals, and opinion was divided
on how they should be treated and whether or not some form of amnesty
should be introduced.
All the delegates agreed that the reform process, especially the police
restructuring agreement, was in stalemate and there is little hope of
a resolution before the elections in October 2006.
Nevertheless, despite their differences all agreed that Bosnia & Herzegovina
would remain united and that there was no pressure for a referendum to
consider a split as had recently happened in Serbia & Montenegro another
former Yugoslavian state.
Following lunch hosted by Paul Keetch MP, the delegation watched the last
Lord Chancellor’s Procession and arrived in the gallery in time
to hear his resignation speech and to witness the inauguration and maiden
address of the Rt. Hon Baroness Hayman, the first holder of the newly-created
office of Lord Speaker.
The last meeting of the day was with representatives of the Northern Ireland
Office, Policing Reforms Division who outlined some of the changes that
have taken place within the Police Service of Northern Ireland since the
introduction of the new Police Bill in 2000. They explained how the reforms,
introduced in the face of strong opposition, are delivering effective
policing in the province and that crime rates and detection levels are
now similar to those found in areas of comparable size in the UK.
In the evening, the Speaker, the Rt Hon Michael Martin MP, hosted a reception
in honour of the visitors in the State Apartments.
Wednesday began with a tour of Westminster Abbey where the delegation
was met by Canon Nicholas Sagovsky and the Receiver General of the Abbey
Major General David Burden. The visitors then met Lord Ashdown of Norton
Sub Hamdon, a former High Representative of Bosnia & Herzegovina.
Lord Ashdown spoke “off the record” but the delegates later
said how delighted they were to meet him again and were full of praise
for the tremendous efforts and achievements that he made on their behalf
during his time as High Representative. The delegation then attended Prime
Minister’s Question Time.
The Government Lunch in Lancaster House in honour of the delegation was
hosted by Baroness Royall of Blaisdon, Government Spokesperson for Foreign
& Commonwealth Office.
The last official meeting of the programme was at the BBC World Service
at Bush House. The delegation met the heads of sections covering the former
Yugoslavia and three members of the delegation were interviewed for broadcasts
to Bosnia later that week.
In the evening, the Ambassador Dr Milasinovic invited the delegation to
the Bosnian Embassy to meet members of the Bosnian community in order
to explain the current state of affairs in the country and to highlight
some of the changes that will be introduced following the forthcoming
elections later in the year. The delegates departed from Heathrow early
on Thursday morning.
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