Serb member of the Presidency of Bosnia and Herzegovina Željka Cvijanović said that Bosnia and Herzegovina appears to be “a hopeless case” because, while other countries focus on development, political actors in Sarajevo are preoccupied with appointing a foreign official who, in her view, would punish Republika Srpska and reshape the country according to their political vision.
Cvijanović said that several European Union member states continue to support such an approach and continue to view Bosnia and Herzegovina’s path toward EU membership primarily through the lens of centralization, which she argued has prevented meaningful progress.
Asked whether the failure to agree on the appointment of a new High Representative reflects a new political reality, she replied that it is one example of broader geopolitical changes.
She recalled that the United States had presented its position before the United Nations Security Council, emphasizing that the Office of the High Representative was never intended to be a permanent institution and that political responsibility should gradually be transferred to Bosnia and Herzegovina’s democratically elected institutions and representatives of its constituent peoples.
Cvijanović argued that the European Union’s position is either unclear or, paradoxically, inconsistent with European democratic principles.
“EU officials say the next High Representative should help bring Bosnia and Herzegovina closer to the European Union, yet they overlook the fact that these responsibilities were separated around fifteen years ago so that the High Representative would no longer interfere in the EU accession process, which was to be led by the European Union through its own institutions,” she said.
She also recalled that the Venice Commission stated two decades ago that the continued existence of the Office of the High Representative represented an obstacle to the democratic development of Bosnia and Herzegovina.
“What is the truth—what they said then or what they are saying now?” Cvijanović asked.
Bosnia and Herzegovina treated as a political experiment
Cvijanović argued that Bosnia and Herzegovina has been treated as a political experiment and that this approach has repeatedly driven the country from one crisis to another.
“They surely did not believe that Republika Srpska would simply remain silent while its constitutional competences were gradually taken away,” she said.
According to Cvijanović, the issue is not the institution of the High Representative itself when operating within the framework of Annex 10 of the Dayton Peace Agreement, but rather the later introduction of the so-called Bonn Powers, which she said lack a basis in either international or domestic law and have been used to sanction political opponents and promote the centralization of Bosnia and Herzegovina.
She added that changes in global politics have made supporters of centralization increasingly uneasy because, in her view, they have lost support both in the East and the West.
“They continue to write letters calling for the preservation of the Bonn Powers, but that only demonstrates that they are unable to manage political processes on their own,” she said.
Political processes should be based on agreement
Speaking about governance in a multinational state composed of two entities and three constituent peoples, Cvijanović said political stability can only be achieved through dialogue and agreement among all sides.
“Our colleagues from Sarajevo’s political establishment became accustomed to foreign actors delivering everything they requested, and as a result they lost the ability to negotiate with others. They now find it difficult to adapt because there is no longer unquestioning favoritism toward one side at the expense of another,” she said.
Cvijanović stressed that Republika Srpska is not seeking preferential treatment but rather what she described as a balanced and equal approach.
“Those who respect us will receive even greater respect in return. Perhaps in the past we were not able to resist pressure as effectively as we can today. Perhaps we once had fewer partners around the world, but today that is no longer the case. We have no reason to apologize for protecting our interests. We are prepared to cooperate with everyone except those who seek to undermine Republika Srpska,” she said.
Judiciary reform as the key priority
Commenting on institutional reforms, Cvijanović said the most significant changes should take place within Bosnia and Herzegovina’s judiciary, including the Constitutional Court.
“It is unacceptable for a judge of the Constitutional Court of Bosnia and Herzegovina to claim that, under the Constitution, an unelected foreign official has the authority to impose laws. That represents a collapse of constitutional order, because the Constitution clearly defines who has the authority to propose and enact legislation, while the Constitutional Court’s role is to safeguard the Constitution and constitutional legality,” Cvijanović said.
Source: RTRS
