Man who understands BiH takes over presidency of PACE

SARAJEVO, (Patria) - The Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe, at the beginning of its first session this year, elected Dutch delegate Tiny Kox as its new president. Kox has in the past been one of the rapporteurs for Bosnia and Herzegovina and knows the situation in our country well. When asked by N1 journalists at his first press conference after taking office, Kox announced that he will actively deal with the issue of Bosnia and Herzegovina. He also announced contacts with political and civil society representatives in the coming period.

The Council is the one that offers all our best services to the parliament, government, and citizens of BiH to overcome these truly incredible problems you have in organizing the state of Bosnia and Herzegovina. I will never think it is easy to deal with things in your country, because its structure is so complex, and I don't need to explain that. But overcoming these problems is a common obligation of politicians in your country. If we do not overcome the problems, tensions will rise, and the chance of things getting out of control is always possible. I want to send a message to the citizens and politicians in your country, so that you can see and try to find solutions. We are always here. The Council of Europe has many tools to help countries overcome these problems, regarding the Constitution, the Election Law, the rule of law in its entirety. I would like to hear this from the president who will address our assembly. I will also have a bilateral conversation with him. I will not say what we can do for BiH, but I will first ask your president what he thinks is the best thing we could do. I will also address the BiH delegation to discuss possible solutions for the major problems that your great country has, has had in the past, and must still deal with in the future,” Kox said.

Incidentally, along with Kox among the leaders of the Council of Europe who know the situation in BiH and the region well, is the Secretary General of the Council, Marija Pejčinović Burić, who came to that position from the position of Croatian head of diplomacy. The Chairman of the BiH Presidency, Željko Komšić, will also address the first session of the Council of Europe this year tomorrow.