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45774
registered interest false more like this
date less than 2014-03-27more like thismore than 2014-03-27
answering body
Foreign and Commonwealth Office more like this
answering dept id 16 more like this
answering dept short name Foreign and Commonwealth Office remove filter
answering dept sort name Foreign and Commonwealth Office more like this
house id 2 more like this
legislature
25277
pref label House of Lords more like this
question text To ask Her Majesty's Government what current plans they have to enhance stability and democracy in Bosnia Herzegovina. more like this
tabling member printed
The Earl of Dundee more like this
uin HL6423 more like this
answer
answer
is ministerial correction false more like this
date of answer less than 2014-04-23more like thismore than 2014-04-23
answer text <p>The United Kingdom continues to be deeply committed to enhancing stability and democracy in Bosnia and Herzegovina (BiH). The UK is a strong supporter of European Union Force (EUFOR) Operation Althea's maintenance of the safe and secure environment in BiH, and is proud of its contributions in theatre, and through a reserve company, 1 Scots. Our support for BiH's policing has led to our contributing to establishing a trilateral Police Cooperation Centre (PCC) in Trebinje, resulting in more efficient and effective actions being taken between law enforcement agencies in the region. UK Ministers and officials have made clear to BiH's leaders their responsibility for ensuring that their public rhetoric is not inflammatory or ethnically divisive. <br><br>Following the recent protests, we have made clear to BiH's leaders that they need to respond to the population's legitimate desire for change, most recently when the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, my Rt. Hon. Friend the Member for Richmond (Yorks) (Mr Hague), met the BiH Presidency and Foreign Minister on 27 March. During his recent visit the Foreign Secretary met representatives of civil society and plenums and expressed our support to widen the political space in BiH so as to allow citizens to hold politicians to account. <br><br>Part of our work to widen the political space is the recent British BiH Fellowship Programme. A one-month residential programme in the UK designed to equip BiH's future leaders with the skills and experience to lead positive change in their country. <br><br>The Foreign Secretary also announced continuing UK assistance for BiH's path towards EU membership, in the form of new funding to foster democratic governance in Bosnia by strengthening the judiciary, civil society organisations, governance and supporting BiH's EU accession process. Specific examples include political and financial support focused on strengthening the State Court and State Prosecutor's Office, which will improve the operation of Rule of Law systems in BiH. <br><br>In addition, the UK supports the activities of the Westminster Foundation for Democracy (WFD), whose work in BiH has focused on equipping local non-governmental organisations with the skills they need to provide effective evidence for parliamentary committees. WFD has done valuable work with BiH's Parliament to raise awareness of the value of such committees. This has influenced positively the formation of legislation, and opened up the process of law-making to public scrutiny, while promoting citizen participation in the democratic process.</p>
answering member printed Baroness Warsi more like this
question first answered
less than 2014-04-23T12:00:00.00Zmore like thismore than 2014-04-23T12:00:00.00Z
answering member
3839
label Biography information for Baroness Warsi more like this
tabling member
2735
label Biography information for The Earl of Dundee more like this