BiH

Don’t throw out the baby with the bath water: How not to misread an EU request about foreign judges at the Constitutional Court of Bosnia and Herzegovina

Abstract

The role of a Constitutional Court is central, even more so after a conflict in deeply divided societies. Foreign judges may strengthen the judicial independence, authority, and accountability of a court. However, the consideration of their role is strongly related to the context, including the role of the International Community. Experience suggests that there is positive potential for the use of foreign judges in stabilizing post-conflict situations; however, over time they may risk becoming a divisive factor themselves, as recently in the case of Bosnia and Herzegovina. This, and the preparation for EU accession, makes it necessary (or at least advisable) to adapt their guarantee function, write Jens Woelk and Harun Išerić.

 

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Posted by Jens Woelk and Harun Išeric in Case Studies, 0 comments