BOSNIA: CONTROVERSIAL REPUBLIKA SRPSKA POLICE

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 SARAJEVO 000768 SIPDIS SIPDIS STATE FOR EUR (DICARLO),D (SMITH),P (BAME),EUR/SCE (ENGLISH, SAINZ, FOOKS),EUR/ACE (VISOCAN, LONGI),S/CT (BLACK),S/WCI (HODGKINSON),INR, THE HAGUE (JOHNSON),NSC FOR BRAUN, VIENNA FOR LEGATT (DIETDERICH),OSD FOR FLORY, USDOJ FOR CRIMINAL DIVISION - ICITAP (DELCORE) E.O. 12958: DECL: 08/16/2015 TAGS: PGOV PINR PREL PTER KCRM KJUS BK SUBJECT: BOSNIA: CONTROVERSIAL REPUBLIKA SRPSKA POLICE DIRECTOR RESIGNS Classified By: AMBASSADOR DOUGLAS MCELHANEY FOR REASONS 1.4 (B),(D) ¶1. (C) SUMMARY. Controversial Republika Srpska (RS) Police Director Dragomir Andan tendered his resignation April 7th. The immediate catalyst for his resignation was a letter sent to RS PM Milorad Dodik and the High Rep by ICTY Chief Prosecutor Carla del Ponte. The letter alleges lack of cooperation by Andan in the hunt for war crimes fugitives. However, Dodik had been looking for a way to remove Andan since assuming office in February 2006. Andan also played a less-than-helpful role as the RS representative to the Police Reform Directorate (PRD). In addition, Andan has been plagued by allegations of wartime atrocities and alleged ties to ICTY fugitive, former Bosnian Serb military leader Ratko Mladic, and organized crime figures. Chief of RS Police Administration Smajlovic will serve as acting police director until a replacement can be named. End Summary. CARLA DEL PONTE LETTER - REMOVE ANDAN ¶2. (C) In her letter dated March 31st, del Ponte notes her meeting with RS PM Dodik on March 29th in which she advocated Andan's removal. "We have an extensive and detailed profile of Andan whose record includes numerous allegations of criminal conduct before, during and after the war. He was undoubtedly in close relationship (including personal) with ICTY fugitive Mladic." She notes that EU Police Mission (EUPM) Commissioner Coppola shares her views concerning Andan's removal. INITIAL DODIK CAMPAIGN TO OUST ANDAN STALLS ¶3. (C) When Dodik assumed office in February he launched an effort to oust controversial RS Police Director Dragomir Andan. Dodik has made organized crime and cooperation with ICTY the centerpiece of his administration; during March, the RS media was filled with organized crime allegations against Andan and the RS police. The reports included allegations of police protection rackets, corrupt permit issuances, misuse of public funds, and support for PIFWCs Mladic and Karadzic. However, the campaign appeared to die down leading to speculation that Dodik had changed his mind. New RS Minister of Interior Stanislav Cadjo, who is very close to Dodik, expressed support for Andan and said he had no intention of replacing him, in a meeting with poloff on March 24. NO DAYLIGHT BETWEEN DODIK AND ANDAN ON POLICE REFORM ¶4. (C) While there was no love lost between Andan and Dodik, their views on police reform were in sync. On March 15 Dodik wrote a much-publicized letter to PM Terzic and the High Rep alleging that the Police Reform Directorate (PRD),in composition and in action, had violated the political agreement on police restructuring supported by Dodik and endorsed by the RS National Assembly (RSNA) in October 2005. One of the first decisions taken by the PRD (in an 8 - 1 vote with only Andan dissenting) was to use the 2004 Martens Police Reform Plan as a basis for starting negotiations. Dodik alleged that all PRD decisions must be made by consensus (a recipe for stalemate),that the Federation has greater representation on the PRD than does the RS, that the RSNA never agreed to the Martens Plan, and that the EUPM Commissioner should not be part of the PRD. ¶5. (C) Andan has played the obstructionist role since the inception of the PRD in January 2006, and as the RS rep, was scheduled to become PRD chair in July. Just last week, Andan presented an RS "police restructuring" proposal which essentially leaves the current RS police structure intact, including preserving the RS Ministry of Interior's authority over policing in the RS. COMMENT ¶5. (C) Few in Sarajevo will be lamenting the departure of Dragomir Andan. His hard-line stance against police reform severely hindered the work of the PRD while the continuing swirl of allegations involving police corruption, war crimes, SARAJEVO 00000768 002 OF 002 and connections to Ratko Mladic and organized crime figures made him a liability for RS PM Dodik. Dodik had been searching for a way to get rid of Andan and del Ponte's letter proved a useful catalyst. Replacing Andan is certainly a step in the right direction on ICTY cooperation and the fight against organized crime and corruption in the RS. However, this does not solve the problem of Dodik's fundamental opposition to police reform, echoed in most RS political circles. Dodik, with one eye firmly fixed on the October elections, clearly feels he is taking a popular stance by opposing police reform. He knows too that we need his support to finish the current stage of constitutional reform. The fact that Andan's temporary replacement, Nijaz Smajlovic, is a Bosniak, further complicates the equation because he may not be able to negotiate on behalf of the Serbs, thus potentially stalling the work of the PRD. Embassy will continue to push OHR and the EC to make clear to Dodik their bottom line on police reform as well as press Dodik to name a suitable replacement for Andan ASAP. End Comment. MCELHANEY