The OSCE Chirman-in Office/Serbian First Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ivica Dacic opened today the OSCE Office in Drvar.

“I made a decision to visit, in my capacity as the OSCE Chairman-in-Office, all the countries with the OSCE Mission or some other OSCE presence in the field. It gives me great pleasure today, when visiting Bosnia and Herzegovina, to attend the opening of the new OSCE Office here in Drvar. The OSCE has been present in BiH for 20 years and during that time has surely contributed significantly to the building of the state of BiH and its institutions”, said Dacic.

“From the OSCE Chairman-in-Office point of view, it is sure that the goal of this Mission is to help BiH achieve the values enshrined in the fundamental principles of the OSCE. As the Serbian First Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs, I am glad that this Mission to Drvar will help in solving the common problems of refugees and displaced persons in the Western Balkans”, said Dacic and reminded of the international programme of grants for refugee housing which refers to the entire region of the Western Balkans.

“I am glad, I may say, that Head of the OSCE Mission to BiH Jonathan Moore is the man who has long been present in these areas and that there are only words of praise for him. I am sure that he will be devoted to those tasks set before the OSCE, which are the main objectives and principles of the OSCE concerning all the three of its dimensions.

OSCE Chairman-in-Office Dacic wished good luck in the work of the new OSCE Office to Drvar and stressed that Serbia and BiH shared a turbulent history, but also common new challenges, which were at present related mostly to the security field, namely the threat posed by terrorism.

“The OSCE will certainly pay great attention to this subject, as well as Bosnia and Herzegovina during its forthcoming chairmanship of the Council of Europe and we will try to jointly cooperate in this area. I most strongly condemn the terrorist attack in Zvornik. It is not only an attack on the institutions of BiH, but also an attack on the stability of the entire region. The issue of radicalization, extremism and terrorism in any form, whether it is the phenomena of the so-called foreign fighters who go from our region to fight in Syria, Iraq, Ukraine or any other battlefields in the world, certainly cannot contribute to a peaceful life and security of citizens in the region. It is therefore very important that the security structures of our two countries cooperate and exchange information”, said the OSCE Chairman-in-Office Minister Dacic.