OSCE supports BiH HJPC conferences of chief prosecutors and court presidents

TESLIĆ, 8 June 2022 - The OSCE Mission to Bosnia and Herzegovina (Mission) supported the Bosnia and Herzegovina (BiH) High Judicial and Prosecutorial Council (HJPC) conferences of chief prosecutors and of court presidents, organized in Teslić on 7 and 8 June.

During these conferences, representatives of the BiH judiciary discussed the fight against corruption and organized crime, the appointment and accountability of judicial office holders, judicial efficiency, and other challenges they face.

The Mission, sharing the findings of its extensive trial monitoring programme, emphasized that the BiH judiciary has not demonstrated sufficient willingness or capability to efficiently process high-level corruption cases, resulting in de facto impunity for the perpetrators of many serious offenses. In terms of the judicial and prosecutorial appointments of the HJPC, the Mission observed inconsistent and inefficient practices, which can lead to the appointment of lesser-qualified candidates.

During her keynote remarks, Ambassador Kathleen Kavalec, Head of the OSCE Mission to BiH, stated that the Mission remains a dedicated partner to all relevant counterparts in endeavours to strengthen the integrity, transparency, and accountability of the judiciary. Ambassador Kavalec also underlined the role of the chief prosecutors in protecting society from impunity, and of court presidents as essential guardians of the independence and impartiality of judges and the judiciary more broadly.

President of the HJPC, Halil Lagumdžija, thanked the Mission for co-organizing and financially supporting this year's conferences. “This is another confirmation of the good co-operation we have achieved in previous years, working together in the implementation of numerous and very important projects for the judiciary of our country,” he underlined. “I would like to add the well-known fact that the fight against corruption and organized crime cannot be just a fight of the judicial system, but the entire system must be included in it, a society as a whole that must be strategically committed to combating all even the smallest forms of corruption.”

The Mission will continue to support efforts aimed at strengthening the BiH justice sector and its capacity to uphold judicial independence and enhance public confidence in the process.