Regarding the adoption of the new National War Crimes Prosecution Strategy, following years of efforts necessary to reach an agreement on this important issue for the functioning of the criminal justice system in Bosnia and Herzegovina, the Court of Bosnia and Herzegovina welcomes the decision made by the Council of Ministers of Bosnia and Herzegovina
Prosecuting war crimes cases in Bosnia and Herzegovina represents one of the most important segments of radical changes the BiH transitional society and the State of Bosnia and Herzegovina have been undergoing, as well as all its citizens and peoples. Shedding light on wartime events, bringing those responsible to justice, and providing satisfaction to victims, are the main objectives of the war crime prosecution effort.
Following years of efforts necessary to agree on and achieve political agreement on the adoption of the new National War Crimes Prosecution Strategy, the Court of Bosnia and Herzegovina welcomes the decision made by the Council of Ministers of Bosnia and Herzegovina, and expresses gratitude to all actors who have worked proactively and tirelessly to ultimately achieve the adoption of this important document.
The Court notes that, during the period between the expiry of the previous Strategy and the adoption of the new one, in its decisions concerning the transfer of less complex war crimes cases to the Entity judiciary, it has been led by the standards that were agreed and set at Supervisory Body sessions, thus giving a decisive contribution to achieving the efficiency of war crimes prosecution even before the new Strategy was adopted, and stresses its full commitment to its efficient implementation in the future.
The Court of Bosnia and Herzegovina invites all institutions involved in the implementation of the new Strategy to pay special attention, in accordance with their responsibilities, to achieving the highest possible level of efficient war crimes prosecution, while reminding the Entity courts and Brčko District courts, to which the Strategy pertains, of the Court’s jurisdiction under Article 7(3)b) of the Law on the Court of Bosnia and Herzegovina, with a note that the Court remains available to provide support and assistance at any given time.
