Brussels, 03/04/2006
The two trade union organisations have written to Bosnian Prime Minister Mr Adnan Terzic, calling on him to take all necessary steps to protect the lives and safety of Mr Biber and his family, and to ensure that he can continue to carry out his trade union activities.
Mr Biber has already been the victim of threats and attacks in 2003. Recently, he has been active in pressing for the new law on the 'revision of privatisation', designed to protect workers' employment and contract rights.
“It is clear that the threats are directly related to his trade union activities,” say ETUC and ICFTU General Secretaries John Monks and Guy Ryder in their joint letter. “This is totally unacceptable, from all human and civil points of view. The free exercise of trade union activities is a fundamental trade union right.” The organisations call on the competent authorities in Bosnia and Herzegovina to deploy all their efforts to find the perpetrators and bring them to justice.