STRASBOURG COURT RULING AFFIRMS VICTORY OF DAYTON AND CONSTITUTIONAL BiH

SARAJEVO, JUNE 26 /SRNA/ – Delegate in the House of Peoples of the Parliamentary Assembly of BiH, Radovan Kovačević, stated today that the final ruling of the European Court of Human Rights in Strasbourg in the case Slaven Kovačević v. BiH represents a victory for the concept of Dayton and constitutional BiH.

"BiH can function and survive only on the basis of its Constitution—there is no other way," Kovačević told reporters. He expressed gratitude to all from Republika Srpska who contributed to the outcome of this case, particularly to the Ministry of Justice of Republika Srpska and Minister Miloš Bukejlović, as well as to the line ministers—Davor Bunoza in the Council of Ministers and Vedran Škobić from the Federation of BiH. "I thank everyone who fought for the BiH that can and must exist—the Dayton and constitutional BiH," Kovačević said. He also "congratulated" Minister of Foreign Affairs Elmedin Konaković on what he sarcastically called his "first international success" since taking office. Kovačević said that he will always fight against the concept of a civic BiH. The European Court of Human Rights initially ruled that Slaven Kovačević was discriminated against because, as a citizen of the Federation of BiH, he could not vote for the Serb member of the Presidency, nor could he equally participate in the election of delegates to the House of Peoples. After BiH filed an appeal, the Grand Chamber issued its final ruling yesterday, determining that Kovačević’s complaints fell outside the scope of the case, that he had abused the right to submit an application, and that he did not qualify as a victim under the Convention.