Over the past four years, Republika Srpska has made significant progress in strengthening its position on the international stage, and the results of those efforts are now clearly visible, Serb member of the Presidency of Bosnia and Herzegovina Željka Cvijanović said in an interview with Glas Srpske.
Cvijanović stressed that Republika Srpska’s international engagement was never intended to discredit others but rather to present its own perspective.
“We did this to create space for ourselves and to demonstrate that there has been too much injustice, too many misguided decisions, and deeply rooted stereotypes regarding Bosnia and Herzegovina,” she said.
Reflecting on her term in the Presidency, she described relations among its members as deeply strained, arguing that decision-making has too often been dominated by outvoting rather than consensus, which she said is the constitutional foundation of the institution.
Commenting on constitutional issues, Cvijanović defended her use of the entity veto mechanism and criticized attempts to challenge it before the Constitutional Court of Bosnia and Herzegovina. She also expressed concern over the functioning of the Commission to Preserve National Monuments, arguing that it has exceeded its legal authority and encroached upon competencies reserved for the entities.
On foreign policy, she accused the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of bypassing the constitutional role of the Presidency by issuing diplomatic instructions without obtaining the institution’s consent. According to her, these practices have undermined the credibility of Bosnia and Herzegovina’s diplomatic service abroad.
Cvijanović said Republika Srpska has successfully established direct communication with international partners despite institutional obstacles, adding that many foreign officials now have a better understanding of the political dynamics within Bosnia and Herzegovina. She also welcomed the election of U.S. President Donald Trump, arguing that global political changes have created new opportunities for Republika Srpska to strengthen its international position.
She rejected the idea that previous U.S. sanctions against officials from Republika Srpska should be viewed as personal measures, describing them instead as political actions directed against the institutions of Republika Srpska. According to Cvijanović, current international relations are marked by a more balanced approach in which Republika Srpska is treated as an equal interlocutor.
Speaking about the Office of the High Representative, Cvijanović said Republika Srpska acts as though the institution no longer exists, arguing that only the High Representative is recognized under the Dayton Peace Agreement. She claimed that political appeals from Sarajevo calling for the preservation of the High Representative’s extraordinary powers no longer receive the international attention they once did.
“What once generated concern abroad now, I can freely say, provokes only ridicule,” Cvijanović said.
Looking ahead to the upcoming general election, Cvijanović said her campaign would build on the international partnerships established during her current mandate. She also praised SNSD leader Milorad Dodik, saying his political authority extends beyond any individual office and that his decisions have been guided by what she described as the long-term interests of Republika Srpska.
Addressing the recently proposed state budget, Cvijanović said increased funding for the Court and Prosecutor’s Office of Bosnia and Herzegovina is intended primarily to cover employee salaries rather than strengthen the institutions themselves. She reiterated her view that both institutions, along with the Constitutional Court of Bosnia and Herzegovina, require comprehensive reforms.
Source: Glas Srpske
