Inzko to the UN: Bosnia and Herzegovina is a place we cannot leave

NEW YORK, (Patria) - High Representative Valentin Inzko addressed the UN Security Council today and presented his regular six-month report on the status of peace implementation in Bosnia and Herzegovina, covering the period from October 16, 2018, to April 15, 2019.

"Seven months after the general elections, political life in Bosnia and Herzegovina is still dominated by the process of forming coalitions and appointing authorities. Although Republika Srpska and most cantons in the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina embarked on the process of forming authorities shortly after the elections, the new Council of Ministers and the Government of the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina have unfortunately not yet been appointed," said the High Representative.

At the beginning of his address, the High Representative emphasized an issue that recently raised tensions – the move by the legislative bodies of Republika Srpska to create a reserve police force for Republika Srpska. This caused concern in the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina, where the competent parliamentary commission said it would take the same step. "The current political discourse on the reserve police force in the entities, initiated by the unilateral move of Republika Srpska on this issue, does not contribute to peace and stability in Bosnia and Herzegovina. On the contrary, it has initiated a negative spiral of mistrust and mutual competition. Instead, authorities at all levels should work on better cooperation to raise public security to the highest level and ensure a safe environment. Immigration and issues concerning refugees and asylum fall under the constitutional jurisdiction of state institutions, and their capacities should be strengthened. This would be an appropriate example of better cooperation," said the High Representative.

Unfortunately, calls for division and destabilizing rhetoric, which are sometimes resorted to by the very leaders who declaratively emphasize their commitment to Bosnia and Herzegovina's European path, marked the period covered by this report. In addition to separatist statements by certain politicians from Republika Srpska, leading Croatian political parties persistently reject the judgments of international courts concerning their wartime leadership and seek to revive the structures of the then-parastate. Also, at the beginning of the year, the leading Bosniak political party announced its intention to challenge the name of the entity Republika Srpska, which predictably led to further threats of secession. In this context, the High Representative emphasized that "The BiH Constitution confirms that Bosnia and Herzegovina consists of two entities: the Federation of BiH and Republika Srpska."

The lack of commitment to the rule of law in Bosnia and Herzegovina continues to be a major problem. The High Representative mentioned the unimplemented judgments in the Ljubić case and the judgment concerning the electoral system in Mostar, and due to the non-implementation of the latter judgment, local elections in Mostar have not been held since 2008. He also emphasized the failure to implement the judgment of the European Court of Human Rights in the Sejdić-Finci case and similar cases, which is why a system that discriminates against some citizens by preventing them from running for public office is still in place. Furthermore, the High Representative emphasized that several cantons in the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina have still not fulfilled their obligation to ensure full equality for members of the Serb people, while authorities in Republika Srpska continue to disregard court decisions on the registration of military property and January 9th as the Day of Republika Srpska.

At the end of his address, the High Representative asked political leaders to stop irresponsible rhetoric and to take steps for Bosnia and Herzegovina to continue progressing on its path to the EU.

Finally, the High Representative in Bosnia and Herzegovina, Valentin Inzko, quoted Lord Paddy Ashdown: "BiH is a place we can never leave."