Head of OSCE Mission to BiH meets Chief Prosecutor, says regional co-operation crucial to prevent impunity for war crimes
SARAJEVO, 5 February 2013 – Fletcher M. Burton, Head of the OSCE Mission to Bosnia and Herzegovina, met today with Goran Salihovic, the newly appointed BiH Chief Prosecutor, and expressed the OSCE’s continued commitment to support the work of the Prosecutor’s Office.
Burton congratulated the Chief Prosecutor on the entry into force of the Protocol on Co-operation in Prosecuting Perpetrators of Criminal Offences of War Crimes, Crimes against Humanity and Genocide, which was officially signed by representatives of the BiH Prosecutor’s Office and the War Crimes Prosecutor’s Office of Serbia in Brussels on 31 January.
“Regional co-operation is crucial to prevent impunity for those perpetrators residing abroad,” said Burton. “The OSCE Mission is committed to working with the Chief Prosecutor to ensure full implementation of this agreement and support the signing of similar agreements with Croatia and Montenegro.”
They discussed the longstanding co-operation between the OSCE and BiH Prosecutor’s Office, focusing in particular on the war crimes backlog in the country, and steps to be taken to ensure trials are fairly and effectively processed so justice can be served.
Burton also noted that the OSCE Mission will soon launch a new project that will provide additional support staff and training as well as help to cover operational costs for the prosecutor’s office. The project is being financed with donations from the Governments of Norway, Switzerland, the US, the UK and Italy.
“I am pleased that the OSCE Mission has recognized the efforts of the BiH Prosecutor’s Office in achieving rule of law in BiH. War-crimes processing is one of our key priorities, and I am grateful to the Mission as well as to the donor states for their assistance in our efforts to ensure justice for the victims and a safer environment for all citizens and future generations,” said Salihovic.