CHIEF PROSECUTOR OF THE PROSECUTOR’S OFFICE BIH MET WITH THE U.S. AMBASSADOR-AT-LARGE FOR WAR CRIMES ISSUES

The United States Ambassador-at-Large for War Crimes Issues, H.E. Stephen Rapp, and his associates, visited the Prosecutor’s Office and met with the Chief Prosecutor Goran Salihović and his associates.

The activities and efforts of the Prosecutor’s Office of BiH in the prosecution of war crimes and strengthening of the capacities to efficiently prosecute these cases were discussed at the meeting.

The matters that were also discussed at the meeting were the cooperation of the  Prosecutor’s Office of BiH with the entity prosecutors’ offices and the Prosecutor’s Office of Brčko District in the processing of less complex war crimes cases that were transferred to the entity judicial institutions.

The Chief Prosecutor informed Ambassador Rapp about the results of the Prosecutor’s Office of BiH in 2013 which are the best so far in the 10 years of its existence in all fields including war crimes.

Also discussed were the activities pertaining to relocation of the Prosecutor’s Office of BiH to a separate building with adequate capacities to accommodate all employees.

Chief Prosecutor Salihović pointed out that the results will be even better this year because of the increased number of prosecutors in the Special Department for War Crimes. The process of exhumations and identification of war crimes victims will be intensified as it is a very important element in the prosecution of these cases. It is also a matter particularly important for the families of the victims who have been searching for their loved ones for 20 years.

Ambassador Rapp expressed his support to the Prosecutor’s Office of BiH in the process of establishing the rule of law and strengthening the cooperation in the region aiming to ensure more efficient prosecution of war crimes.