Post by radovic on Jun 25, 2008 9:42:22 GMT -5
Bosnian Croats Outraged over Outvoting
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Sarajevo25 June 2008 Sarajevo _ Outraged over another instance of outvoting, Bosnian Croats want to seek their rights “outside of Bosnia” a deputy argues.
Bosnian Croat politicians were outraged by the decision of the Constitutional Court of the larger Bosnian entity of the Federation, which rebuffed Croats’ demands for the protection of their vital national interests in regarding the transfer of some responsibilities for the payment of war veterans’ benefits to the local level, media reported on Wednesday.
“This is a mockery. The time has come for Croats to seek their rights outside of Bosnia and Herzegovina,” media quoted Bosnian Croat deputy in the Federation Parliament Josip Peric, as saying after the Constitutional Court decision was announced Tuesday.
Legislation regulating payments of the war veterans and invalids has become one of the most contested issues between Bosnian Croat and Bosniak (Bosnian Muslim) politicians over the past two months.
Ever since 2005, Bosniak politicians pushed through legislation which provided excessive but not properly targeted benefits for Bosniak war veterans – believed to be one of the most influential lobbying groups in the country.
Since the legislation proved to pledge more money than was available, Bosniak parties adopted a new law which passes a part of responsibilities for these payments to the lower administrative level – ten cantons which make up the Federation.
However, Bosnian Croat politicians rejected the notion for the few Croat-dominated cantons to pay for Bosniak war veterans. They challenged the law at the Federal Constitutional Court but lost the case.
This political dispute underlined the general complaint among Bosnian Croats that by being the smallest of the three main ethnic groups – making up less than 15 percent of the population – Bosnian Croats are increasingly being outvoted by both Bosniaks and Bosnian Serbs.
“This is a clear message to Croats that they must seek their rights in some other ways and that institutions of Bosnia and Herzegovina, including the Constitutional Court, do not protect and ensure equal rights,” Peric told media.
Email a friend
Save article
Print article
Increase text size
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Sarajevo25 June 2008 Sarajevo _ Outraged over another instance of outvoting, Bosnian Croats want to seek their rights “outside of Bosnia” a deputy argues.
Bosnian Croat politicians were outraged by the decision of the Constitutional Court of the larger Bosnian entity of the Federation, which rebuffed Croats’ demands for the protection of their vital national interests in regarding the transfer of some responsibilities for the payment of war veterans’ benefits to the local level, media reported on Wednesday.
“This is a mockery. The time has come for Croats to seek their rights outside of Bosnia and Herzegovina,” media quoted Bosnian Croat deputy in the Federation Parliament Josip Peric, as saying after the Constitutional Court decision was announced Tuesday.
Legislation regulating payments of the war veterans and invalids has become one of the most contested issues between Bosnian Croat and Bosniak (Bosnian Muslim) politicians over the past two months.
Ever since 2005, Bosniak politicians pushed through legislation which provided excessive but not properly targeted benefits for Bosniak war veterans – believed to be one of the most influential lobbying groups in the country.
Since the legislation proved to pledge more money than was available, Bosniak parties adopted a new law which passes a part of responsibilities for these payments to the lower administrative level – ten cantons which make up the Federation.
However, Bosnian Croat politicians rejected the notion for the few Croat-dominated cantons to pay for Bosniak war veterans. They challenged the law at the Federal Constitutional Court but lost the case.
This political dispute underlined the general complaint among Bosnian Croats that by being the smallest of the three main ethnic groups – making up less than 15 percent of the population – Bosnian Croats are increasingly being outvoted by both Bosniaks and Bosnian Serbs.
“This is a clear message to Croats that they must seek their rights in some other ways and that institutions of Bosnia and Herzegovina, including the Constitutional Court, do not protect and ensure equal rights,” Peric told media.