Bećirović at the UN: The problem in BiH is not the High Representative, but anti-Dayton policy that openly advocates for the destruction of Dayton and the state

(Patria) - BiH Presidency Chairman Denis Bećirović addressed the UN Security Council session in New York today, which is discussing the situation in our country.

Bećirović stated at the very beginning that the report of High Representative Christian Schmidt indicates that the political and security situation in BiH is complex and challenging.

- This document further confirms the importance of continuous attention from the international community, aimed at protecting peace, stability, and the General Framework Agreement for Peace in Bosnia and Herzegovina (Dayton Peace Agreement) - Bećirović emphasized.

He stated that, despite numerous challenges, Bosnia and Herzegovina has made significant progress on its European and Euro-Atlantic path.

- On December 15, 2022, the European Council decided to grant Bosnia and Herzegovina candidate status for EU membership. On March 21, 2024, the European Council decided to open accession negotiations with Bosnia and Herzegovina.

We have also adopted and submitted six BiH reform programs to NATO headquarters in Brussels, and preparations are underway to adopt this document for 2026.

Bosnia and Herzegovina has fulfilled the conditions to receive an invitation for NATO membership. Our results would have been even better if it weren't for the constant obstructions and blockades from the RS entity - Bećirović stated.

According to him, in order to objectively assess the current situation in Bosnia and Herzegovina, it is necessary to point out the facts that preceded the current state of affairs.

- I particularly emphasize the following:

‣ The Republic of Bosnia and Herzegovina, a UN member, was a victim of brutal aggression from 1992 to 1995;

‣ Joint criminal enterprises were conducted against the Republic of Bosnia and Herzegovina;

‣ Genocide was committed against Bosniaks, the only one in Europe after World War II;

‣ Great-state protagonists are attempting, even in the post-Dayton period, to realize goals that were not achieved during the armed aggression.

Ignoring these facts, established by the judgments of UN courts, helps no one. On the contrary, neglecting them can lead to a wrong diagnosis of the situation, and subsequently, to potentially new wrong steps. We must not allow that - Bećirović stressed.

He emphasizes that we have left behind a very difficult year, 2025, in which the anti-Dayton policy of the RS entity leadership brought Bosnia and Herzegovina to the brink of armed conflict.

- We avoided the worst-case scenario thanks to institutional and responsible action on the legal and foreign policy fronts.

We have also learned an important lesson: any endangerment of the position and competencies of the Constitutional Court of BiH, state judicial bodies, and the High Representative could have unforeseeable consequences for peace and stability in BiH and this part of Europe.

I particularly want to warn about the danger of jeopardizing the role of the High Representative. The High Representative exists based on Annex 10 of the Dayton Peace Agreement and is the final interpreter of the civilian aspects of the Agreement.

The signatories and witnesses of the Dayton Peace Agreement knew back in late 1995 that this was an important institution for the protection of this international agreement. They knew that the Agreement as a whole could not function without Annex 10.

The Dayton Peace Agreement is not a menu from which you pick what you want and what you don't. It is an international agreement that must be respected in its entirety - Bećirović said.

He stressed that the upcoming appointment of a new High Representative should be carried out in a way that, as before, he is chosen by the Peace Implementation Council, and that his competencies and mandate are not jeopardized.

- The closure of the OHR can only be discussed after the 5+2 agenda has been fulfilled. To conclude: the problem of Bosnia and Herzegovina is not the High Representative, but the anti-Dayton policy that openly advocates for the destruction of the Dayton Peace Agreement and Bosnia and Herzegovina - Bećirović emphasized.

He also stated that the Dayton Peace Agreement is being destroyed by the leadership of the Republika Srpska entity, not the High Representative.

- It is time to stop the destroyers of the Agreement, not to weaken the institutions that protect it. Neighboring countries Serbia and Croatia have no right to interfere in the internal affairs of the state of Bosnia and Herzegovina.

They are not guarantors, but signatories of the Dayton Peace Agreement. Therefore, Serbia and Croatia have undertaken an additional international obligation to respect the independence, sovereignty, and territorial integrity of Bosnia and Herzegovina, as well as the judgments of UN courts.

It is extremely significant that all members of the Steering Board of the Peace Implementation Council, on the occasion of the 30th anniversary of the Dayton Peace Agreement, emphasized the importance of respecting the sovereignty, territorial integrity, and constitutional order of Bosnia and Herzegovina.

On that occasion, the members of the Steering Board specifically stated that:

‣ Bosnia and Herzegovina did not come into existence in 1995 but continued its legal existence;

‣ sovereignty exclusively belongs to Bosnia and Herzegovina as a single state;

‣ entities exist based on the BiH Constitution and do not have their own sovereignty - Bećirović said.

The leaders of the RS entity, he added, continue to endanger the Dayton Peace Agreement. They publicly advocate for: unilateral destruction of the Dayton Peace Agreement; the destruction of the state of Bosnia and Herzegovina; and other violations of international and national law.

- It is scandalous that the leaders of the RS entity have entered into a contract with a lobbying firm, with the aim of destroying the Dayton Peace Agreement.

This contract lists as main goals the change of the United States' foreign policy towards Bosnia and Herzegovina, the redefinition of the status of the Republika Srpska entity, securing international support for secession, and challenging fundamental parts of the Dayton Peace Agreement.

Such anti-Dayton policy directly threatens peace and stability in the entire region. The so-called report, illegally submitted to the UN Security Council by the government of the RS entity, also speaks of this dangerous policy.

The aforementioned report, in addition to falsehoods, also contains elements of propaganda that we witnessed before the commission of genocide against Bosniaks.

I will be clear: this is a reactivation of genocidal propaganda. Politicians who glorify convicted war criminals are trying to turn the victim into a target for a new genocide. This is unacceptable, shameful, and extremely dangerous.

Destructive political forces are trying to create dangerous ethnic divisions, including the creation of a so-called third entity. Such unreasonable policies caused immense harm in the 90s and must be nipped in the bud, as they can again lead to conflicts and suffering - Bećirović stated.

He recalled that a meeting was recently held in Zagreb where maps of ethnic divisions in Bosnia and Herzegovina were drawn again.

- Therefore, here in the UN Security Council, I want to be very clear: advocating for ethnic divisions in Bosnia and Herzegovina is not politics, it is a direct threat to peace.

History teaches us that whenever maps for the division of Bosnia and Herzegovina were drawn in Belgrade and Zagreb, the citizens and peoples of my country suffered. It is our common obligation and responsibility to never again allow borders to be drawn over open wounds.

The citizens and peoples of Bosnia and Herzegovina deserve peace, stability, and economic progress. One of the frequent political deceptions of anti-Dayton forces is the creation of fear of unitarism in Bosnia and Herzegovina.

Talking about the danger of unitarism and centralism in a deeply decentralized Bosnia and Herzegovina is completely nonsensical. Intimidation by alleged unitarism aims to divert attention from the real problems of Bosnia and Herzegovina, deepen ethno-nationalist attempts to paralyze state institutions, and sabotage the Euro-Atlantic and European integration processes.

Therefore, here too, at the UN Security Council session, it should be clearly stated that this is the political narrative of great-state protagonists - he concluded.

Today, he continued, he is addressing not only as the Chairman of the BiH Presidency but also as the voice of millions of people from Bosnia and Herzegovina who believe in the future.

- Our future is not based on divisions, but on knowledge, innovation, and the dignity of every person. My vision for Bosnia and Herzegovina is a stable, secure, educated, and digitally developed European state - a society of common values, sustainable development, and strong institutions.

What needs to be done in Bosnia and Herzegovina? First, according to international and national law, as well as final and binding judgments of the Constitutional Court of BiH, state property is owned by the state of Bosnia and Herzegovina. There should be no political bargaining over this.

Second, it is necessary to proceed with the implementation of the judgments of the European Court of Human Rights in Strasbourg. In this process, it is essential to strengthen the democratic and multi-ethnic state of Bosnia and Herzegovina and eliminate all forms of discrimination against citizens.

Third, the BiH Constitution clearly defines the supremacy of the state of Bosnia and Herzegovina over the entities. In this context, the message from the members of the Steering Board of the Peace Implementation Council is important, stating that the BiH Constitution must be fully respected and that it takes precedence over entity constitutions and laws.

Fourth, I believe it is important for the UN Security Council to adopt a Decision in 2026 to extend the mandate of EUFOR/Althea. The presence of EUFOR is important for preserving peace and stability in Bosnia and Herzegovina, as well as in the region.

Fifth, for the stability and security of Bosnia and Herzegovina and the region, it is important to accelerate Bosnia and Herzegovina's path to full membership in NATO and the EU.

Sixth, it is high time for the international community and the High Representative to stop anti-Dayton attempts to jeopardize the state institutions of Bosnia and Herzegovina.

For example, it is important to prevent attempts from the Republika Srpska entity to shut down the Public Broadcasting Service of Bosnia and Herzegovina, as a state-level independent broadcaster.

Finally, on behalf of the citizens of Bosnia and Herzegovina, I sincerely thank the friends of our country. We have not forgotten the help we received from many UN member states.

Bosnia and Herzegovina appreciates and does not forget this. Let us preserve peace and stability in Bosnia and Herzegovina and the region together - Denis Bećirović concluded his address.