prijava
WASHINGTON/SARAJEVO, February 21 (FENA) - The entity of Republika Srpska (RS) has hired American law firm 'McGinnis Lochridge' that provides lobbying services, to advise and represent it on legal international issues and it will pay USD 80,000 a month for their services, Radio Free Europe reports.
In a confidential document, a letter of intent, published by the US Department of Justice, the signatory of the document is the Republika Srpska Minister of Economy and Regional Cooperation Zlatan Klokić, as well as a lawyer of the hired firm, Martin T. Lutz.
The document states that the company's plans are to assist “the Republika Srpska government in the following matters: The legal issues and obligations of Republika Srpska under applicable international law, including the Dayton Peace Agreement and other agreements to which Bosnia and Herzegovina is a party, such as the European Convention on Human Rights. The rights and obligations of the Republika Srpska and Bosnia and Herzegovina under the Office of the High Representative, the Peace Implementation Council, the United Nations Security Council, the OSCE, the European Union, the Council of Europe and others."
In addition, the duties of this Texas-based law firm will be to advise on relations with the international community, followed by “legal matters relating to the harmonization of the institutions and laws of Republika Srpska and Bosnia and Herzegovina with the BiH constitutional framework in accordance with the Dayton Peace Agreement.”
Also, according to the letter of intent, McGinnis Lochridge LLP will “advise the Republika Srpska government on the harmonization of the laws and the institutions of BiH and the RS with European standards regarding accession to the European Union.”
The scope of the signed cooperation does not include representation of the entity of Republika Srpska or any of its officials on matters relating to the preparation or conduct of litigation matters in or outside BiH.
"Any court representation would be arranged separately," it is said in the document released by the US Department of Justice.
Under the Foreign Agent Registration Act (FARA) enacted in 1938, cooperation in political activities or other similar activities set out in the statute are required to be reported to the Department of Justice, as well as any kind of activities, receipts and payments.
Responding to Radio Free Europe (RSE), US attorney Martin Lutz, who signed the agreement with the RS, said he could not comment on the work he does for any of his clients.
(FENA) S. R.
