DF: We Condemn the OSCE's Attempt to Undermine the Independence of the Work of Judicial Institutions in BiH

Democratic Front strongly condemns the attempt by the OSCE Mission to BiH to exert pressure on the Prosecutor's Office of BiH as an independent body through the High Judicial and Prosecutorial Council and to obtain unrestricted access to the cases it handles, it was announced from DF, as reported by the Patria news agency.

We find it very indicative that access is being sought only to cases handled by the Prosecutor's Office of BiH and not to other prosecutor's offices, e.g., the Special Prosecutor's Office of the RS. We remind that the OSCE is not an organization with such a mission, nor is that its mandate. The state of BiH has no bilateral agreements with the OSCE that would possibly allow such an action beyond the OSCE's mandate.

By allowing insight into cases handled by the Prosecutor's Office of BiH, for which the principle of confidentiality applies, the Prosecutor's Office of BiH, as a body, and individual prosecutors would be placed in a situation to commit a criminal offense punishable under BiH laws.

In political terms, this request by the OSCE directly supports the demands of Milorad Dodik for holding a referendum on the Court and Prosecutor's Office of BiH, as it confirms his thesis that foreigners manage the Prosecutor's Office and Court of BiH as institutions that should be completely independent, both from domestic authorities and from foreigners.

The OSCE Mission to BiH should act within its mandate instead of undermining the legal system and order in BiH. For example, the issue of human rights violations in the education of children from the school in Konjević Polje is something that should be one of the key subjects of work for those responsible in the OSCE in BiH, the DF statement reads.