Ferguson: Elections in Mostar must be held, I do not rule out possible sanctions over the RS referendum

British Ambassador Edward Ferguson in an interview with the Patria news agency discusses the RS referendum, elections in Mostar, and Brexit after which his country left the membership of the European Union.

PATRIA: After the decision of the National Assembly of the RS to hold a referendum on RS Day on September 25, which directly violates the Dayton Agreement, will the international community, and you as an extremely important part of it, especially from the aspect of the British-German initiative, take more concrete steps in politically sanctioning those (names are known) who do not listen to what you are telling them but defy both you and the American ambassador?

FERGUSON: At this moment, I am not ruling anything out.  I expect the Peace Implementation Council to meet soon to discuss the proposed referendum, but, as I recently said, I would prefer that our concerns be addressed through peaceful and constructive dialogue.

PATRIA: In your blog, you said that you (Great Britain) have secured expert advisors in the areas of economic reform and labor market reform, EU integration, and strategic communications in the offices of the Chairman of the Council of Ministers, and the prime ministers of both entities, strengthening their capacities to lead the Reform Agenda. Who are these advisors (their names), what segments are they responsible for, and how much are you paying them? How long will they be in the prime ministers' offices?

FERGUSON: Thank you for publishing my blog!  Yes, we are fully committed to providing support for the implementation of the reform agenda, with the aim of giving this country a more stable economic foundation. Also with the aim of creating jobs for as many people as possible, not just for a privileged few, and addressing inequality and injustice in society. 

These are the issues that matter most to the majority of citizens in this country.  But we also know that these reforms are technically demanding and, together with international partners like the US, EU, IMF, and World Bank, we are providing technical assistance and expert advice to the institutions leading the reform agenda. 

The experts were selected through a transparent and competitive process and work in areas such as labor law reform, econometrics, and strategic communications.  I cannot give you contract details due to internal restrictions, which apply to all our other projects.  However, as long as the governments show us that they are willing to make significant progress in implementing these reforms, I hope we will be able to continue providing them with support.

PATRIA: After all this, do you think there will be elections in Mostar? You and the American ambassador have directly labeled the main culprits for the chaos in the city on the Neretva, namely the SDA and HDZ BiH? What do the people of Mostar gain from you directly calling them out and accusing them when things are not moving from a deadlock. Nationalism is increasing even more. It is more than obvious that the SDA and HDZ BiH do not want to step back from their initial positions. How can anything be done in that situation, with only a month and a half left until the elections?

FERGUSON: Elections in Mostar must be held!  I am deeply disappointed that the deadline set by the Central Election Commission for holding local elections on October 2 has been missed.  But, the American ambassador and I are still determined that the elections will be held this year.  The citizens of Mostar have been denied their democratic right for far too long.  Talks with key parties are ongoing and we expect them to show flexibility and willingness to compromise.

After Brexit, a new chapter for Great Britain

PATRIA: After Brexit, what is the situation in Great Britain? Starting with the political situation, with a special emphasis on the economy. Has the decision to leave the EU (a large economic market) already begun to affect the import and export of your country?

FERGUSON: Let me start the answer with a few important points.  First, the United Kingdom remains a truly global player.  We are a permanent member of the UN Security Council, NATO, G7, G20, and the Commonwealth.  And, for now, we remain a full and active member of the European Union, with all the rights and responsibilities that membership entails.  Second, our country remains open for business. 

Today we are one of the strongest and most advanced economies in the world, with the highest employment rate in our history, low and stable inflation, and rising real incomes.  London is considered the world's leading financial center and we have the largest share of the global financial services market.  We also have a leading position in the field of insurance and computer and IT services.

Around the world, we are promoting Britain and have removed the brakes on promoting our trade – we are promoting the United Kingdom as a place for business and trade, attracting investment, and, over time, negotiating trade agreements.  There are already a number of positive signs that we can make Brexit a success.  For example – in July, the Japanese technology firm Softbank announced a record investment of 24 billion pounds in the United Kingdom by purchasing the microprocessor manufacturer ARM.

This is a new chapter for Britain and there may be some turbulence in the months ahead.  But we are ready to face what the future brings from a strong position.