BOSNIA: HIGH REPRESENTATIVE DELIVERS "100 DAYS"

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E.O. 12958: DECL: 05/24/2016
TAGS: PGOV PREL BK
SUBJECT: BOSNIA: HIGH REPRESENTATIVE DELIVERS "100 DAYS"
SPEECH TO PARLIAMENT

Classified By: AMBASSADOR DOUGLAS MCELHANEY FOR REASONS 1.4 (B),(D).


1. (U) SUMMARY. In an effort to rally the parliament of
Bosnia and Herzegovina (BiH) to pass significant pre-election
reforms, High Representative Christian Schwarz-Schilling
delivered his "100 days" speech on May 24. The theme
referred to what Schwarz-Schilling has seen during his first
100 days as High Representative, as well as what the
Parliament can accomplish in the 100 days left to it prior to
national elections in October. Schwarz-Schilling proclaimed
that his first 100 days in office have convinced him to
maintain his "hands-off approach"; he maintained that BiH has
all the resources it needs without intervention from the
international community. He commented on the progress BiH has
made since his tenure as High Representative, but then
focused on what he deemed "a darker side of political life"
in BiH -- those areas where politicians and parliamentarians
had failed to put the country's best interests before their
own. He challenged parliament to support a range of reforms
in the next 100 days which, in his opinion, would directly
benefit voters. However, the mood of the parliament was one
of disinterest, marred by Serb parliamentarians' plans to
walk out and shut down Parliament over a domestic issue
immediately following the High Rep's speech. END SUMMARY.


2. (U) In a speech before the Bosnian Parliament, High
Representative Christian Schwarz-Schilling reinforced his
approach as a hands-off High Representative who expects the
Bosnians to fully own their political process in advance of
OHR's planned phaseout in mid-2007. Schwarz-Schilling told
parliamentarians that, as he stepped back, their
responsibility is to step up and carry out the reforms that
will bring Bosnia and its citizens forward. The High Rep
reminded parliamentarians that those elected in October will
have to govern on their own in the coming year, without the
intervention of the international community. He cited
Bosnia's strong democratic institutions, the highly
professional negotiating team leading European Union (EU)
talks, and young people who want to play a role in BiH's
future as reasons why he is confident that BiH can direct its
own destiny. He also lauded Bosnia's entrepreneurs, the
international success of the Bosnian film "Grbavica", and
Bosnia's recent third place showing in the Eurovision song
contest. Schwarz-Schilling then moved on to what he dubbed
the "darker side" of Bosnian politics: corruption, a lack of
responsibility and a lack of political courage. As examples,
Schwarz-Schilling cited the current deadlock on police
reform, the disunity of Mostar's city government (Mostar
remains the only major municipality in BiH that has not yet
adopted its 2006 budget),and the BiH House of
Representative's "no" vote on constitutional reform.


3. (U) In the lead-up to his speech, rumors abounded that
Schwarz-Schilling would name the names of those who, in his
mind, were obstructing key reforms. The closest he came to
doing so, however, was when he criticized the parliament for
not seizing on what he called "a window of history - an
occasion to leap forward." Because of a small number of
people who did not have the political courage to vote for the
reforms, the rest of the country was left stranded, he noted.
Schwarz-Schilling also warned that rejecting broadcasting
reform or police reform will slow progress toward Europe.
Europe is watching, he cautioned, and the EU is in no mood to
accept anything less than what it has clearly set out as key
conditions.


4. (C) Exhorting the Bosnians to action, Schwarz-Schilling
listed the reforms he would like to see Bosnia's parliament
enact in the next 100 days: passing a higher education law
that would harmonize standards and testing across the
country; the Law on Obligations; the Salary Law; creating a
Central Banking Supervision system; the Law on the National
Fiscal Council; the Pharmaceuticals Law; changes to the
criminal code to strengthen the judiciary; the Broadcasting
Law; and police reform.


5. (C) COMMENT. While well intended, Schwarz-Schilling's
words were not taken as the serious reform challenge that he
had hoped for. With Schwarz-Schilling's own professed "hands
off" theme taking center stage, his reform agenda is not seen
as something he will aggressively push. Responding to
references in the speech aimed at the Republika Srpska's
blocking of police reform, RS Prime Minister Milorad Dodik
commented that he does not believe he is responsible for

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halting police reform, nor does he expect sanctions from the
High Representative as a result. Further, parliamentarians
were visibly distracted during the High Rep's speech by the
brewing showdown between parliamentarians and PM Terzic on a
domestic issue: Terzic's refusal to establish a commission
to investigate war crimes in Sarajevo (in defiance of a
parliamentary decision). Immediately following the speech,
the Bosnian Serb parties walked out of Parliament,
effectively blocking any further business due to the lack of
a sufficient quorum. The timing of this walk out could not
have been worse for the High Representative's message -- the
Parliament kicked off Schwarz-Schilling's 100 days of reforms
with a boycott. (Note: The Council of Ministers met on May
25 and approved the commission, eliminating the crisis for
the time being.) Regardless, the High Rep's message fell
flat, and it is unclear whether OHR will invest the energy
and follow-through needed to prompt further Bosnian reforms
before October elections. END COMMENT.
MCELHANEY