Bosnia's main ethnic parties agree to pursue EU-required reforms

(SARAJEVO) - Bosnia's three main ethnic parties, representing the country's Croats, Muslims and Serbs, agreed Saturday to pursue EU-required reforms, mainly that involving the constitution, national television reported.

The head of the main Muslim Party of Democratic Action, Sulejman Tihic, and leaders of the Croat Democratic Union and Serb Social Democrats, Dragan Covic and Milorad Dodik respectively, reached a deal on the reforms only three days after the European Union voiced concern that a rise of nationalism in Bosnia could undermine stability in the country.

The three, who met in the small northern town of Odzak, agreed in particular to reform the country's constitution and hold a census in 2011, as required by Brussels.

Earlier this month Croat and Muslim deputies rejected an initiative to conduct a census that would include ethnic-related questions, as favoured by Serbs, claiming it would enshrine results of wartime cleansing.

The three leaders reached a compromise solution on Saturday.

"We have agreed that a census would contain questions on ethnicity, religion and langauge," Tihic said.

However, until 2014 local administration -- composed on ethnic principles -- would remain to be staffed according to the 1991 census when the three ethnic communities lived throughout Bosnia's territory, he added.

The EU wants the Balkan country to conduct a census by 2011 so it has up-to-date data on which to base policies for Bosnia.

Bosnia's 1992-1995 war pitted its Croats, Muslims and Serbs against each other and claimed at least 100,000 lives.

It left the country split into two highly-autonomous entities -- the Muslim-Croat Federation and the Serbs' Republika Srpska -- that share weak central institutions.

In June, Bosnia signed a Stabilisation and Association Agreement with Brussels, seen as the first step towards EU membership.

The EU Enlargement Commissioner Olli Rehn said last month Bosnia had to reform its constitution and hold a census before becoming a candidate for membership in the 27-nation union.