In accordance with the powers vested in me in Paragraphs 8, 11, 13 and 37 of the Brcko Final Award ofMarch 5, 1999, by the Arbitral Tribunal for Dispute over Inter-Entity Boundary in the Brcko District;
Recalling that the Law on Police currently contains provisions requiring the Chief of Police to present reports to the Assembly every month;
Regretting that the Assembly has failed to consider these reports in an objective fashion, and instead is attempting to use them as a platform for political attacks upon the Chief of Police;
Regretting further that this is interfering with the ability of the Chief of Police to perform his duties effectively;
Emphasizing that while the process of evaluating the work of the Chief of Police is of the great importance, it must be undertaken in a politically neutral fashion;
Believing that this process of evaluation is properly given to the competency of the Independent Board for Selection and Review (“the Independent Board”), which by its nature and composition is liable to exercise its duties in a politically independent way;
Regretting that the Assembly did not adopt a new draft Law amending the Law on the Police (“the Draft Law”) to grant the Independent Board this competency;
Believing that the Draft Law is in all respects sound and prudent, consistent with the principles underlying police reform in BiH, and of great importance to the District, to free the Chief of Police from inappropriate political pressures, and to permit him to carry out his duties in a professional manner, and that it is in the strong and clear interests of the District that the Law be enacted;
I hereby order that:
- The Law amending the Law on Police, annexed to this Order, is hereby enacted as a law of the Brcko District of Bosnia and Herzegovina.
- The Assembly shall forthwith discontinue any further consideration of any reports of the Chief of Police (including at the Assembly session scheduled for November 30, 2005) until such time as the Chief of Police submits his next annual report to the Assembly.
- This Supervisory Order has immediate effect and shall be published without delay in the Official Gazette of the Brcko District. The Government and Assembly of the Brcko District shall undertake all necessary measures to ensure its implementation.
Susan R. Johnson
Supervisor of Brcko
Deputy High Representative
