Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
07SARAJEVO1678
2007-08-03 11:57:00
CONFIDENTIAL
Embassy Sarajevo
Cable title:  

BOSNIA-CROATS MAKE RUCKUS IN THE CALM OF SUMMER

Tags:  PGOV PREL BK 
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VZCZCXRO0517
PP RUEHDBU RUEHFL RUEHKW RUEHLA RUEHROV RUEHSR
DE RUEHVJ #1678/01 2151157
ZNY CCCCC ZZH
P 031157Z AUG 07
FM AMEMBASSY SARAJEVO
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 6767
INFO RUEHZL/EUROPEAN POLITICAL COLLECTIVE PRIORITY
RUEKJCS/JCS WASHINGTON DC PRIORITY
RUEAIIA/CIA WASHINGTON DC PRIORITY
RHEHNSC/NSC WASHDC PRIORITY
RHEFDIA/DIA WASHINGTON DC PRIORITY
RUEKJCS/SECDEF WASHDC PRIORITY
RUFOAOA/USNIC SARAJEVO PRIORITY
C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 SARAJEVO 001678 

SIPDIS

SIPDIS

DEPARTMENT FOR EUR (DICARLO),EUR/SCE (HOH/FAGAN/STINCHCOMB)

E.O. 12958: DECL: 08/03/2017
TAGS: PGOV PREL BK
SUBJECT: BOSNIA-CROATS MAKE RUCKUS IN THE CALM OF SUMMER

REF: SARAJEVO 01519

Classified By: POL Michael J. Murphy Reasons 1.4(b) and (d)

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 SARAJEVO 001678

SIPDIS

SIPDIS

DEPARTMENT FOR EUR (DICARLO),EUR/SCE (HOH/FAGAN/STINCHCOMB)

E.O. 12958: DECL: 08/03/2017
TAGS: PGOV PREL BK
SUBJECT: BOSNIA-CROATS MAKE RUCKUS IN THE CALM OF SUMMER

REF: SARAJEVO 01519

Classified By: POL Michael J. Murphy Reasons 1.4(b) and (d)


1. Summary: (C) Croat issues have taken center stage in an
otherwise calm political environment, as most other
politicians appear to be gearing up for a lazy August.
Croats finally managed to resolve the nagging issue of
forming a government in the Herzegovina Neretva Canton (HNK),
but the ideologically diametric governing coalition of
Croatian Democratic Union 1990 (HDZ-1990),Party for
Bosnia-Herzegovina (SBiH),Croatian Party of Rights-Djapic
Jurisic (HSP-DJ),Party of Democratic Action (SDA),and
Alliance of Independent Social Democrats (SNSD) almost
certainly is in for a turbulent term. HDZ-BiH deputy
chairman Niko Lozancic, in a transparent effort to capitalize
on the lure of August vacation, attempted to push an
amendment to Bosnia,s immunity law through the parliament
but High Representative Miroslav Lajcak worked behind the
scenes to successfully kill the legislation--at least for
now. Furthermore, Croats continue to assert their national
rights, this time insinuating they might employ their Vital
National Interest veto to overturn a recently passed
framework law on higher education. End Summary.

HNK Forms Government Ten Months after Elections
-------------- --


2. (SBU) On August 1 Croat and Bosniak political parties,
facing the threat of "serious sanctions" from the OHR, formed
a government in HNK with Srecko Boras of HDZ 1990 at the
helm. For ten months HDZ-BiH and HDZ-1990 had been engaged
in a bitter battle for the Prime Minister post and neither
had seemed capable of achieving the constitutionally mandated
2/3 support in the Cantonal assembly to form a government
until Sulejman Tihic,s SDA reluctantly switched alliances
from Croatian Democratic Union of Bosnia-Herzegovina
(HDZ-BiH) to HDZ-1990. SDA,s support came with lofty
demands, however, for the money ministries: Finance and
Education--the latter of which controls the greatest
percentage of the Canton,s budget. With tenuous guarantees
from hesitant SDA officials, Boras presented his government

to the Assembly for confirmation, only to have them point out
that his cabinet lacked a Serb minister as required in the
Constitution. The end result of the hurried search for a
suitable Serb was a tennis coach from Milorad Dodik,s SNSD,
generating an eclectic governing coalition of HDZ-1990, SBiH,
HSP-DJ, SDA, and SNSD. With the government now in place, the
High Representative plans to lift sanctions against the
parties early next week.

OHR Thwarts Lozancic,s Efforts to Protect Covic
-------------- --


3. (C) HDZ-BiH chairman Dragan Covic,s deputy and right hand
Niko Lozancic, Deputy Speaker of Parliament, lost to OHR the
first round of what is likely to be an extensive campaign to
amend Bosnia,s state-level immunity law. Lozancic--perhaps
to bolster Covic,s odds in his ongoing corruption
litigation--introduced into parliament a draft amendment
prohibiting the arrest of any State parliamentarian without
the approval of the appropriate legislative body. The
amendment would not apply to serious offenses that carry a
mandatory sentence of 5 or more years. Lozancic wanted the
proposal considered under "urgent procedure" on July 31,
which would have required a vote the following day. Strong
pressure from the High Representative Miroslav Lajcak,
however, who viewed the haste as an attempt to pass
legislation through the back door without a public debate,
resulted in the removal of the proposal from the agenda.
Nevertheless, Lozancic has a deft legal mind and is likely to
find a way to bring the issue back to the fore when
parliament reconvenes from summer holiday. At the August 3
Steering Board Ambassadors (SBA),Lajcak predicted Lozancic
would reintroduce the legislation in September.

Croats Oppose Law on Higher Education
--------------


4. (SBU) The State Parliament adopted on July 30 a framework
law on accreditation for higher education, despite opposition
from Bosnian Croat delegates. Croat politicians argued the
rights of the Croats were not respected in this case, which
is an example of why constitutional reform is needed. They

SARAJEVO 00001678 002 OF 002


had envisioned having a comprehensive law at the state level
or cantonal level that would, among other things, regulate
financing for higher education. Serb pressure, however,
forced a compromise in which the state would be responsible
primarily for issues of accreditation and licensing, while
the entities would maintain control over other major
competences. Immediately following the decision on the
higher education law, Croat delegates announced they would
review their options, which some interpret as a thinly veiled
threat to veto the law based on Vital National Interest.
Their remarks have generated little reaction, however, and no
concrete action has been taken. The law represents a
significant step towards fulfilling Bosnia's European
partnership requirements and in the area of education reform.
As with other framework laws, implementation will be a
critical challenge at both the entity and canton levels.
MCELHANEY