Inzko at the UN: RS must step back from the brink and set the referendum aside

High Representative in BiH Valentin Inzko addressed the UN Security Council today, stating that on the occasion of the twentieth anniversary of the Dayton Peace Agreement, "we must have higher expectations and again see concrete results and positive momentum like we had in the first decade of the peace process," reports the BiH news agency Patria.

In his address to the Security Council, which is organized twice a year, the High Representative welcomed the adoption of "ambitious and coordinated reform programs" at the state and entity levels of government as a major step forward. - It is necessary to implement a program of serious political, social, and economic reforms that will improve functionality, attract investment, and ensure employment - added the High Representative.

- The next few months will be crucial as they will show whether the authorities are committed to implementing their reform program - said the High Representative. Some of the reforms will be difficult, but they will provide new opportunities for Bosnia and Herzegovina and its citizens.

In addition to focusing on concrete reforms, the High Representative also emphasized that political leaders will only succeed in achieving progress if they are committed to respecting the Dayton Peace Agreement, including its Annex IV, the Constitution of BiH. In this regard, he once again drew the attention of the Security Council to the initiative launched by the RS authorities to organize a referendum despite violating the Dayton Peace Agreement, and called on the RS authorities to "step back from the brink they have reached and set the referendum aside.".

The High Representative stressed the fact that Bosnia and Herzegovina will not move forward by constantly trying to reopen the past, but by working together for the common good. He emphasized that "the EU has put forward a sincere and real offer that gives the citizens of Bosnia and Herzegovina the opportunity for a safe, prosperous, and dignified life." Combined with the rule of law, this is what the citizens of BiH strive for.

- That offer must be accepted with both hands - concluded the High Representative.