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Bosnian PM resigns over reforms Bosnian PM resigns over reforms
(about 1 hour later)
Bosnia-Hercegovina's Prime Minister, Nikola Spiric, has quit in protest at an international envoy's efforts to introduce reforms supported by the EU. Bosnia-Hercegovina PM Nikola Spiric, an ethnic Serb, has quit in protest at an international envoy's efforts to introduce reforms supported by the EU.
International envoy Miroslav Lajcak last month pushed through measures aimed at speeding up decision-making in Bosnia's often fractious parliament. The envoy, Miroslav Lajcak, last month pushed through measures aimed at speeding up decision-making in Bosnia's often fractious central parliament.
But Bosnia's Serb population, of whom Mr Spiric is a representative, fear the changes will cost them influence. But Bosnia's Serbs fear the changes will mean they lose influence to the country's other main ethnic groups.
The current crisis is said to be Bosnia's worst since war ended in 1995.The current crisis is said to be Bosnia's worst since war ended in 1995.
"For 12 years foreigners run this country and this is not good," Mr Spiric said. The Dayton accord that concluded the conflict left Bosnia-Hercegovina effectively divided between a Bosnian Serb entity and a Muslim-Croat federation, linked by a weak central government.
"I resign and this is the only right decision," he added. Under the accord, ultimate jurisdiction over the country was granted to an envoy appointed by the EU and the UN.
Mr Lajcak, a Slovak diplomat, has been trying to strengthen the ability of Bosnia's central government to adopt key reforms that could lead to the country's membership in the EU. The international High Representative has the power to sack ministers and push through legislation.
But his proposals have triggered outrage among Bosnia's Serb leaders. The current envoy, Mr Lajcak, is a Slovak diplomat who has been trying to strengthen the ability of Bosnia's central government to adopt reforms that could eventually lead to the country's entry into the EU.
They say the measures would reduce their influence in the country's central institutions and lead to Muslim domination. His proposals have triggered outrage among Bosnia's Serb leaders, who say the measures would reduce their influence in the country's central institutions and lead to Muslim domination.
Bosnia consists of two largely autonomous entities - the Serb's Republika Srpska and the Muslim-Croat Federation - linked by a weak central government. The past week has seen hundreds of Bosnian Serbs take to the streets in protest against the reforms.
Each entity has its own president, government, parliament, police and other bodies. Mr Spiric's administration is the first to run Bosnia without international supervision since the end of the 1992-95 war.
Since the end of the 1992-95 Bosnian war, ultimate power has resided with the United Nations and European community, in the shape of an envoy known as the High Representative. In his resignation speech on Thursday, he said: "For 12 years foreigners run this country and this is not good."
"I resign and this is the only right decision."