Reports about the departure of Christian Schmidt from Bosnia and Herzegovina received official confirmation this morning. On the official website of the Office of the High Representative (OHR), it was announced that Schmidt is stepping down at his own request and that he has informed the Peace Implementation Council of this decision. The OHR stated that Schmidt will remain in Bosnia and Herzegovina until his successor is appointed. Officials from Republika Srpska, however, warn that Schmidt cannot resign because he was never legally appointed in the first place, and that he will have to answer for everything he did during his stay in Bosnia and Herzegovina.
The official version, according to which Schmidt personally decided to withdraw, has convinced few. In most analyses, his move is interpreted as a diplomatic victory for Republika Srpska, and when combined with the loss of support from the United States, it is clear that such an outcome was inevitable. However, his withdrawal alone will not be sufficient, and he will have to be held accountable for all the damage he caused by undermining international law and interethnic relations in Bosnia and Herzegovina, officials from Republika Srpska state.
“We will not stop at waiting for his legacy to live on, especially considering the money he received. He was paid 24,000 euros, and an additional 14,000 euros for separated living in what he himself described as an unstable area. Their goal is to create unstable areas in order to preserve their salary of 40,000 euros per month,” said Milorad Dodik, president of SNSD.
Dodik added that such income was obtained through false representation, which constitutes a criminal offense for which Schmidt will have to answer. Officials from Republika Srpska also state that responsibility will be sought from judges and prosecutors who ruled for political reasons, based on Schmidt’s allegedly unlawfully imposed decisions, thereby undermining rather than protecting the constitutional order and the Dayton Peace Agreement.
“Worse than Schmidt are the Constitutional Court, the Court and the Prosecutor’s Office of Bosnia and Herzegovina. They had a chance to preserve this country within the Dayton structure, which is the only possible form. For 30 years, they have not done their job. They should return the money, and Schmidt should face criminal responsibility. Schmidt will leave, but those who do not do their job will remain and continue to pose a threat,” said Siniša Karan, president of Republika Srpska.
While Republika Srpska prepares its next moves, speculation has already begun about the next High Representative, who will succeed Valentin Inzko after five years of what officials describe as Schmidt’s usurpation of the position. According to some information, the most serious candidate is Italian diplomat Emanuele Giaufret, who could receive United States support due to close ties with John Ginkel, chargé d’affaires of the US Embassy in Bosnia and Herzegovina. Some media outlets also mention Antonio Zanardi Landi as a potential candidate. Whoever it may be, they will have to be confirmed by the United Nations Security Council, with the consent of Republika Srpska as one of the signatories of Annex 10 of the Dayton Peace Agreement.
“If we accept a proposal, we will demand that the mandate be limited to one or two years and that the mess left by previous High Representatives be cleared. That would give Bosnia and Herzegovina another chance, by returning to the original Dayton framework and building relations without foreign interference. If that does not happen, we are against any such appointment,” Dodik emphasized.
Nenad Stevandić, president of the National Assembly of Republika Srpska, said that the situation looked very different just a year ago.
“I believe we have created a situation in which it is clear that all High Representatives will become irrelevant, and that Republika Srpska will outlast them all. A year ago, things may have looked different. Under different circumstances, even under warrants, we traveled to mark the 80th anniversary of Victory Day,” Stevandić said.
Officials from Republika Srpska conclude that this outcome is the result of persistent and consistent policies pursued in recent years, during what they describe as the biggest crisis in Bosnia and Herzegovina since Dayton—one they attribute to Schmidt’s actions. They also expressed gratitude to Russia for its principled stance on respecting international law and the Dayton Peace Agreement, and stated that they are ready to engage with all actors who respect those principles and the non-interference in the internal affairs of Bosnia and Herzegovina.
Source: RTRS
