Escobar on Imposed Amendments: I Support Schmidt's Action

(Patria) - Gabriel Escobar, the United States Special Envoy for the Western Balkans, stated in an interview with Kosovo's Channel 10 that he supports the decision of the High Representative in Bosnia and Herzegovina, Christian Schmidt, to impose amendments to the Election Law and the Constitution of the Federation of BiH entity on election night. While the EU Delegation clearly stated that this was exclusively the High Representative's decision, and Johann Sattler confirmed that the timing was not good, Escobar clearly has a different stance.

When asked by journalist Xhemail Rexha to state his position on the use of the Bonn Powers, Escobar said that he supports it.

"The High Representative has an independent mandate that is enshrined in Dayton, and we support not only the continued presence of the High Representative but also his powers," Escobar said.

The journalist further stated that Schmidt's move is considered an act of segregation in BiH, however, Escobar denied this.

"It's a little more complicated than that. There are still some structures within Dayton, as well as the BiH Constitution, that generate divisions of power between the constituent peoples and Others. And he carried out his action within such a limited space," Escobar said, among other things.