Russian Ambassador to Bosnia and Herzegovina Igor Kalabukhov said he expects Bosnia and Herzegovina to continue developing, adding that it is now increasingly evident that the Office of the High Representative, which he described as being in a “dormant state,” is moving toward closure.
“I believe that closing the OHR would contribute to the stabilization of Bosnia and Herzegovina,” Kalabukhov said in an interview with Glas Srpske.
He noted that Bosnia and Herzegovina is entering an election campaign and said it would be interesting to observe how political parties approach the process.
“Certain developments have clarified political relations. We will see how the new election technologies promoted by the OSCE and the Central Election Commission affect the elections. Some parties have doubts about whether these technologies could influence the election results,” Kalabukhov said.
He argued that Bosnia and Herzegovina and its entities have sufficient experience to organize elections themselves.
“We can now expect rhetoric that may be sharper than usual. After the elections, I expect new opportunities to establish authorities in the entities and at the Bosnia and Herzegovina level. I expect Bosnia and Herzegovina to continue developing, and it is now more than obvious that the OHR, which is currently in a ‘dormant state,’ has entered the phase of closure,” Kalabukhov said.
Asked whether he expects a new High Representative to be appointed, Kalabukhov said Russia was closely following developments.
“We have heard the names of several candidates, but as far as the Russian Federation is concerned, our position is firm and unchanged. We believe the best solution is to close the OHR. If there is an attempt to appoint a new High Representative, our position remains the same as in the case of Mr. Schmidt: we believe that person would have legitimacy only if approved and supported by the UN Security Council,” he said.
Kalabukhov added that it appears not all international actors are particularly interested in finding a new candidate for the position, which he sees as further evidence that the institution of the High Representative is approaching its end.
He argued that one of the OHR’s shortcomings was that it had weakened the possibility of internal political dialogue in Bosnia and Herzegovina.
“It has become an external instrument activated by certain parties to pursue their own interests. If politicians and representatives of the constituent peoples had the opportunity to reach agreements directly, I believe the results would be significantly better in terms of stability, mutual understanding, and progress in Bosnia and Herzegovina,” Kalabukhov said.
Commenting on increasingly sharp political rhetoric ahead of the elections, Kalabukhov said he was familiar with the term “inflammatory rhetoric” frequently used by international organizations.
“Of course, politicians sometimes want to attract attention with their words and use stronger language. In a broader sense, this is a feature of the political process in Bosnia and Herzegovina. It is understandable because these issues concern the country’s future, what Bosnia and Herzegovina should look like, the course of European integration, and other matters,” he said.
Kalabukhov also referred to public reactions following the death of Ratko Mladić, saying they had contributed to further polarization of public opinion in Bosnia and Herzegovina.
He argued that this demonstrates the need for people and political representatives within Bosnia and Herzegovina to reach agreements themselves on issues ranging from interpretations of the events of the 1990s to current political challenges and disputes over legislation, including the issue of state property.
“These matters can only be resolved through direct dialogue and compromise,” Kalabukhov said.
He concluded that such an approach represents the formula for the country’s long-term success.
Source: RTRS
