Messages heard during the United Nations Security Council session — that any High Representative must be chosen through consensus among all sides — have also been coming from Republika Srpska for days. Officials stated that if a new High Representative is selected in accordance with the prescribed procedure and confirmed by the Security Council, the institutions of Republika Srpska are ready for cooperation. Otherwise, like Christian Schmidt, he would not be recognized.
Officials also agreed that Schmidt, through his actions and imposed decisions, has almost irreparably damaged relations in Bosnia and Herzegovina. Despite this, certain Bosniak politicians continue to advocate the same policies and are calling on Schmidt, before leaving office, to impose a law on so-called state property. Representatives of Republika Srpska responded that such a move would definitively mark the end of Bosnia and Herzegovina.
While Schmidt prepares to formally leave Bosnia and Herzegovina — which, according to his own announcement, could happen as early as next month — speculation has intensified regarding how much additional damage he could cause before departing. If, following the requests of Ćamil Duraković, he were to impose a so-called law on the distribution of state property, that damage would become irreversible, according to Milorad Dodik.
“If he does that, within the same hour, the same night, we will adopt a decision on the independence of Republika Srpska. And we will no longer allow anyone to deal with us in that manner,” Dodik stated.
Prime Minister Savo Minić warned that announcements about a possible attempt to impose the disputed law are not without basis, saying there are indications such a scenario is being prepared.
“He is being called upon to do this because the agreement was for him, before leaving, to impose a law on state property, and then, regardless of how the elections end in October, we would not be able to form a government because the first question would be whether we support the implementation of the law on state property, a law whose contents we still do not know,” Minić said.
Analysts believe that in a country such as Bosnia and Herzegovina, nothing is impossible — including the possibility that Schmidt could drive the final nail into the country’s coffin before leaving office. However, they noted that such a move appears less likely following statements made during the Security Council session, particularly those of the U.S. representative, who suggested that the era of international interventionism in Bosnia and Herzegovina is nearing its end and that responsibility should be transferred to domestic political leaders.
“What messages did the U.S. representative send? Internal solutions, trust among all in Bosnia and Herzegovina. What does that mean? That Christian Schmidt did not have the trust of all in Bosnia and Herzegovina. They clearly said — a new phase for Bosnia and Herzegovina,” stated Milan Tegeltija.
Nina Sajić said that international actors are being pragmatic.
“They are ready to move toward the closure of the OHR as early as June, because the next successor should also be the last,” Sajić stated.
As speculation continues over who that final High Representative might be, Serb member of the Presidency of Bosnia and Herzegovina Željka Cvijanović questioned why anyone should even be appointed at all, arguing that the system of OHR governance is undemocratic and entirely outdated.
“It is enough that there is already a deputy who, unlike Christian Schmidt, has not announced his withdrawal and who can oversee the closure of this monstrous creation, which transformed from a supposedly decent form of international supervision into a dictatorial administration without grounding in either international or domestic law,” Cvijanović stated.
Officials of Republika Srpska maintain that any future High Representative must be selected through an agreement among the signatories of the Dayton Peace Agreement and confirmed by the UN Security Council. Appointment solely by the Peace Implementation Council, they argue, would amount to replacing one illegality with another — something Republika Srpska says it will not accept.
Source: RTRS
