Izetbegović: Ivanić is not authorized to communicate with the International Court of Justice

Regarding the statement by the Chairman of the BiH Presidency, Mladen Ivanić, yesterday, that he intends to write a new letter to the International Court of Justice in The Hague, informing that institution that the decision to initiate the review of the BiH verdict against Serbia is not a decision of Bosnia and Herzegovina, member of the Presidency Bakir Izetbegović points out that according to the Constitution of BiH and the Rules of Procedure of the BiH Presidency, the chairman does not have the right to conduct oral or written communication with the International Court of Justice in The Hague on behalf of the BiH Presidency, unless authorized for such communication by a decision of the Presidency, Patria reports.

- The BiH Presidency has not, by any of its decisions, authorized Mr. Ivanić to conduct any communication with the International Court of Justice, nor has it authorized him to send any letter to the International Court of Justice. Any letter from Mr. Ivanić to the International Court of Justice, for which he is not authorized by a decision of the BiH Presidency, does not represent and cannot represent the official position of the BiH Presidency, but exclusively Mr. Ivanić's personal stance. If Ivanić sends a letter to the International Court of Justice on behalf of the BiH Presidency or in his capacity as Chairman of the BiH Presidency, for which he is not authorized by a decision of the BiH Presidency, such an action by Ivanić would constitute unconstitutional and extra-institutional action, i.e., a direct violation of the BiH Constitution and the Rules of Procedure of the BiH Presidency, and an abuse of the position of Chairman of the BiH Presidency - warns Izetbegović.

In the press release of the member of the BiH Presidency, Bakir Izetbegović, it is stated that the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of BiH and the BiH Embassy in The Hague must not submit any letters from Mr. Ivanić to the International Court of Justice for which he is not authorized by a decision of the BiH Presidency, as this would constitute an abuse of these two BiH institutions for the purpose of giving an official state character to Ivanić's letters which are not and do not represent the official position of the state of Bosnia and Herzegovina.