No imposition of decisions and no influence by individuals over legislation and the judiciary can be good for the functioning of Bosnia and Herzegovina — this is the message coming from Republika Srpska as international actors are still searching for a candidate for High Representative. As a reminder, July 14 is the deadline until which Louis Crishock is serving in this role in an acting capacity. He was appointed as an interim solution because neither the European states nor the United States backed away from their preferred candidates.
Republika Srpska has long made its position clear on both the Office of the High Representative and high representatives in general, especially the one who, in its view, falsely presented himself as such for years and who recently left Bosnia and Herzegovina in disgrace. The message from Republika Srpska is that no imposed decisions are acceptable, and that violations of procedure related to the appointment of a High Representative will never be accepted.
“They are imposing a tutor on us, and they are doing so in a way that is not even in line with the rules invented by those who are imposing him. That is how we ended up with the last High Representative. Now those imposing the tutor cannot agree among themselves, so they find a substitute and say, here he is, he will do. What are we supposed to say to that, and how are we supposed to function in this state union called Bosnia and Herzegovina if you appoint someone and that person changes the Criminal Code by decree or by a decision posted on the website of his office?” said Savo Minić, Prime Minister of Republika Srpska.
And everyone remains silent about it, including the Parliamentary Assembly of Bosnia and Herzegovina, Minić stressed, asking what anyone should think of such a way of governing in Bosnia and Herzegovina. While Republika Srpska advocates the annulment of imposed decisions and a limited mandate, it is still uncertain whether Europeans and Americans will reach an agreement by July 14 on the person who will head the OHR after acting High Representative Louis Crishock.
“This appointment is a temporary solution, and we do not expect it to become a permanent arrangement under any circumstances. In the meantime, ahead of the Peace Implementation Council session scheduled for July 14, we expect the European Union to find a candidate around whom everyone can agree, around whom everyone can be united, and that candidate should be a European,” said Luigi Soreca, Head of the Delegation of the European Union to Bosnia and Herzegovina.
While the wrangling among PIC members continues, Republika Srpska says it is sensing new momentum on the international stage — receiving offers of cooperation from important international addresses, including the United States, from where assurances are coming that the new American administration does not intend to impose solutions or build other people’s states.
“Everyone I spoke to, at every level in America, said exactly that: we are not going to create solutions for you, we want you to do that yourselves. We think all of this has gone too far for too long. We are a different government, a different administration, and some things that have been pushed into a corner by force over the past 30 years need to be rehabilitated,” said Željka Cvijanović, the Serb member of the Presidency of Bosnia and Herzegovina.
Cvijanović stressed that the focus must return to the constitutional principle of the constituent peoples and to seeking solutions that will contribute to stability and the normalization of relations in Bosnia and Herzegovina.
Source: RTRS
