Bandić: Schmidt is a participant in political corruption, and even today he did not act in the interests of BiH citizens

By Muamer Bandić

Christian Schmidt has been a politically compromised individual since his arrival in Bosnia and Herzegovina. This should have been clear to us from the pre-election coordination of all moves that followed with officials of the Republic of Croatia. Interventions related to the Election Law of BiH on election night itself, which undermined the credibility of the electoral process, also came from that kitchen. When even that was not enough to implement a pre-arranged performance with already chosen actors, Christian Schmidt suspended the Constitution of FBiH for 24 hours to fulfill the political expectations of official Zagreb.

Although in April this year he passed Amendments to the Criminal Code of FBiH, relating to political trading and influence peddling, Christian Schmidt is a direct participant in political corruption in BiH, which was evident during the formation of the imposed Government of FBiH. He is ready to turn a blind eye to his protégés even when they do ethically reprehensible things, and to pretend to be blind, deaf, and mute, coldly tolerating the buying of votes with public resources during the formation of government. It is completely irrelevant that the law is being violated and the reputation of institutions is being degraded as long as the actors on stage play according to the agreed script of the Zagreb screenwriters.

Similarly, since his arrival in our country, Christian Schmidt has been equally blind, deaf, and almost mute to the anti-state and anti-constitutional rampage of Milorad Dodik. Viewed from today's perspective, Valentin Inzko's former expressions of concern seemed like serious work towards building peace and stability in BiH, and like serious policy. Christian Schmidt, with his impotent actions and constant appeasement of the most radical elements on the political scene in BiH, makes all of us, who do not have reserve homelands, seriously concerned about our future and the future of our country.

To quote the official statement from the OHR regarding today's postponement of planned meetings in Banja Luka:

"Today, the High Representative consciously decided not to participate in an orchestrated theatrical performance, taking into account the interests of all citizens of BiH. The High Representative continues to exercise his mandate throughout the territory of BiH as provided for by the Dayton Peace Agreement."

Christian Schmidt today certainly did not act in the "interests of BiH citizens", but in practice showed that his role and mandate here are reduced only to imposing order, in accordance with the political wishes and goals of the Republic of Croatia, in only one part of Bosnia and Herzegovina, the Federation of BiH, and by breaking the political power of only one nation, Bosniaks.

He showed all of us that, as far as the smaller BiH entity is concerned, he is just a German tourist on a well-paid journey through Bosnia and Herzegovina. By withdrawing today in front of populist dark figures, he has opened up additional space for the institutions of the RS to continue to institutionally violate the rights of Bosniaks, Croats, and Others in that area with undiminished intensity, and to harass and attack returnees without any consequences.

Although the international community expects the institutions of BiH to fulfill the conditions for the abolition of the OHR (5+2 Program), today we witnessed how Christian Schmidt himself abolished the OHR, depriving it of any further meaning and political relevance in Bosnia and Herzegovina. And today's tail-tucking, cowardly move, or call it whatever you want, is no surprise but only a continuation of the same policy of appeasing criminal and fascistoid political ideas and goals over the backs of victims and the state of Bosnia and Herzegovina.

And for us who are enduring all this, it is high time to wake up, become politically aware, and actively engage in the political processes of creating the future of this country, because if obscure and compromised figures like Christian Schmidt, and his local political puppets, are to create it for us, I am deeply concerned that we will have no future. We must raise our voices for our country, and for our children!