The head of the Council of Europe to BiH Mary Ann Hennessey was on a working visit to the Una-Sana Canton (USK) yesterday, where she met with the Prime Minister of the Canton Hamdija Lipovača.
They spoke of the necessary changes in the Constitution, and most attention was given to the activities for the implementation of the biggest priorities from the Road Map, which requires BIH to align its constitutional framework with the European Convention on Human Rights and to find solutions for the implementation of the “Sejdić-Finci“ decision.
This was said to be a priority, so that the Stabilization and Association Agreement enters into force so that BiH could send a credible application for EU membership.
“Our country is obliged to align the Constitution with the ruling in ‘Sejdić-Finci’, which is contrary to the Convention on Human Rights and Freedoms’’, said Prime Minister Lipovača.
“We spoke on how we could go a step further in this process without waiting for the FBIH, so that we could implement the provisions, which would eliminate discrimination among the citizens that declare themselves as the ‘Others’, added Lipovača.
He also announced the initiative to amend the Constitution of the USK. Hennessey praised the current activities for this issue in the USK, of which she was informed.
“I am very glad to have visit the USK. I spoke with the Prime Minister on various issues, on the current situation in BiH, the process of return, education…”, she added.
After her meeting with Lipovača, she met with the Chairman of the USK Assembly Admir Hadžipašić, with whom she spoke about on the same issues. “The Legislative Assembly Commission of the USK accepted the initiative of the deputy Miro Ljubijankić to enable delegates the ‘Others’ to be elected’’, said Hadžipašić.
He added that the Ministry of Justice and Administration of the USK has to make changes to the Constitution of the Canton, which would be sent for parliamentary procedures after the government adopts it.
As part of the working visit, Mary Ann Hennessey met with the Mayor of Bihać municipality Emdžad Galijašević.
They spoke of mutual cooperation, with an emphasis on the current situation in the municipality in the context of Croatia’s upcoming accession to the EU.
“The Council of Europe is one of the oldest international organizations and supports these institutions in our transparent and public work that is of huge importance’’, said Galijašević.
According to him, municipality Bihać will participate in all projects of the Council of Europe, whose goal is to strengthen local and regional democracy.
“We spoke of Croatia’s upcoming accession to the EU and the development opportunities in Bihać, since we will share a border with the EU starting this July’’, he added.
Hennessey spoke to Galijašević on the activities of the Council of Europe in strengthening municipal administration, through a Congress of Local Self-Government, which should be held in BiH in the fall.
