As part of the EU’s continued support for the rule of law sector in Bosnia and Herzegovina, the second phase of the EU4Justice project, Support to Judicial Professionalism and the fight against Organised Crime and Corruption in Bosnia and Herzegovina, funded by the EU with 4.5 million euros, was presented today in Sarajevo.
Funds for this project were provided through the Instrument for Pre-accession Assistance (IPA) of the European Union, with the aim of supporting the rule of law and the fight against organized crime and corruption through strengthening the independence, effectiveness, responsibility, and efficiency of the judicial sector in BiH. The project will last for three years, from December 2022 to November 2025.
Foto: D. S./Klix.ba
“This project is a continuation of the EU’s commitment to support the reform of the judicial sector, and it entails more than just technical assistance. It is a joint action of the EU and member states, as we like to say ‘Team Europe’, and includes a process of close cooperation between the judiciary and other actors in Bosnia and Herzegovina and their partners from EU member states. I would like to thank our partners from France, Germany, and Spain for their commitment to the successful implementation of the project,” said Ambassador Johann Sattler, Head of the EU Delegation and EU Special Representative in Bosnia and Herzegovina.
Johann Sattler, Head of the EU Delegation and EU Special Representative in Bosnia and Herzegovina. (Foto: D. S./Klix.ba)
He said that sustainable progress and alignment with EU standards require the active participation of a wide range of actors.
“It is crucial that the authorities in Bosnia and Herzegovina show commitment and follow the agreed program of reforms with dedication,” he said.
Building on the success of the first phase of this project (2019–2021), the implementation of EU4Justice Phase II will involve various judicial institutions across BiH: the High Judicial and Prosecutorial Council of BiH, the Prosecutor’s Office of BiH, courts, the Ministry of Justice of BiH, law enforcement agencies, and the Agency for prevention of corruption and coordination of the fight against corruption, among numerous other actors, with the aim of improving the rule of law, mechanisms for the fight against organized crime and corruption, and ensuring an efficient and transparent judiciary in BiH.
Foto: D. S./Klix.ba
During implementation, the project will initiate a series of activities, such as strengthening monitoring and evaluation capacity, promoting integrity, improving career management, strengthening disciplinary procedures, and encouraging coordination within the criminal justice chain. Through these activities, the project seeks to further align the judicial system in BiH with European standards. The President of the HJPC of BiH, Halil Lagumdžija, emphasized that the HJPC is a long-term partner of this project and that the HJPC participated in it throughout the first phase and from the very beginning of the second phase of the project.
Halil Lagumdžija, predsjednik VSTV-a BiH (Foto: D. S./Klix.ba)
“This project provides us with an excellent opportunity to embark on the path of true reforms, and I believe that we must use this opportunity with determination. This initiative will allow us to learn from the best European practices and to exchange experiences with other EU member states,” he said.
The project is implemented by the French public agency Expertise France in partnership with the German Foundation for International Legal Cooperation and the International and Ibero-American Foundation for Administration and Public Policies. Implementation partners bring the knowledge and experience of judges, prosecutors, and law enforcement agencies across Europe, as well as the best European models and practices when it comes to efficient, transparent, and independent justice.
Foto: D. S./Klix.ba
“We expect the EU4Justice project to contribute to real progress in the sector of the rule of law and the judiciary through privileged cooperation with our partners in Bosnia and Herzegovina. France therefore supports the efforts of the European Union in favor of strengthening the judicial system in the country through the EU4Justice project, phase II,” said Christine Toudic, Ambassador of the Republic of France in Bosnia and Herzegovina.
Christine Toudic, Ambassador of the Republic of France in Bosnia and Herzegovina. (Foto: D. S./Klix.ba)
Through the EU4Justice phase II project, the European Union strives to permanently contribute to the improvement of the judiciary and the fight against organized crime and corruption in Bosnia and Herzegovina through continuous activities. This significant investment represents the continued support of the EU on the country’s path towards a more transparent, accountable, and efficient judicial system.
