Komšić at UN Security Council: Two Options for Stabilizing BiH Situation - One Short-Term, One Permanent

(Patria) - Chairman of the BiH Presidency Željko Komšić addressed the UN Security Council session in New York today, discussing the situation in our country.

At the beginning of his address, Komšić thanked everyone for voting for the resolution extending the mandate of the EUFOR mission in BiH.

- Thank you as permanent representatives of your countries. I especially thank the Permanent Representative of Greece - said Komšić.

He explained that his address on behalf of Bosnia and Herzegovina largely pertains to the past six-month period as presented in the report of the Office of the High Representative (OHR).

- As we could see from the High Representative's report, the past six-month period in Bosnia and Herzegovina was marked by a series of political crises, largely related to the court proceedings against Milorad Dodik and the verdict of the BiH Court rendered on that occasion, which had legal basis in the amendments to the Criminal Code imposed by the High Representative.

The aim of these political crises, manifested through the creation of parallel political, judicial, and other institutions, was to create conditions for the secession of Republika Srpska from BiH.

The imposition of certain decisions by Christian Schmidt was used as a pretext for provoking the crisis, but the real cause is something else entirely – a long-term intention to achieve secession of a part of BiH by provoking crises - stated Komšić.

Such a policy by Dodik and the institutions of Republika Srpska, Komšić continues, is currently halted by the engagement of international factors. However, he adds that he is certain that activities aimed at the secession of a part of BiH will continue.

- In the meantime, this development of the situation has opened discussions, both in BiH and among the international factors present in BiH, about the future of the OHR and the need for its existence.

The attack on the OHR that we are witnessing is a disguised attack on Christian Schmidt as the individual holding the position of High Representative.

The ultimate goal of these attacks is not the current High Representative; the ultimate goal is the elimination of the OHR from political life in BiH. By eliminating the OHR, an entire annex of the Dayton Agreement would be eliminated, thereby endangering and potentially collapsing the entire peace agreement - Komšić pointed out.

He emphasizes that he is among those who have strongly criticized both Schmidt and his actions.

- For the sake of truth, I am obliged to state that all decisions and actions taken by Schmidt were not solely his doing. He did this in full coordination with representatives of the international community in BiH, and very often he took these steps at the insistence and request of those same international factors.

His actions, as well as the policies of certain international factors that had a decisive influence on Schmidt, were often aimed at strengthening and representing one political option and the interests of a neighboring country in BiH.

I must again remind and emphasize that the existence of the OHR as an institution is part of the Dayton Peace Agreement, regulated by a special Annex 10. The powers of the OHR are listed in Article 5 of Annex 10. Based on that article, the so-called Bonn Powers were later introduced - Komšić said.

He recalled that in 2008, the Peace Implementation Council made a decision on the so-called 5+2 conditions that must be met for the OHR to be closed.

- Therefore, all formal prerequisites for the existence and operation of the OHR exist. At the same time, there is not a single formal prerequisite for its closure or relocation outside of BiH, because the conditions from 2008, the so-called 5+2, have not been met.

The only thing that exists in this regard is the political desire of certain domestic, as well as some foreign factors, to eliminate the OHR. The realization of such plans would be a blow to the current structure of BiH, potentially endanger even the peace arrangement itself, and cause new and greater problems in BiH as well as in the region - stated Komšić.

He reminds that the current structure of BiH is not a product of social or political processes or agreements; it is a product of a peace agreement with which no party in BiH is satisfied.

- Not even the neighboring countries that participated in the war and aggression against BiH are satisfied with it.

The current concept on which BiH functions, which the High Representative himself incorrectly calls "ethnic balance of power," because a more accurate term is "ethnic imbalance of power," is a conflict-prone concept in itself.

After all, the 30 years that have passed since the cessation of war in BiH, unfortunately, prove this almost daily.

The abolition of the OHR, its relocation, and the weakening of its competencies defined in Article 5 of Annex 10 of the Dayton Peace Agreement, is actually an abandonment of that agreement itself. The consequences of this are not difficult to assess.

For all the reasons mentioned, I am obliged to try and propose a solution for the current situation concerning the fate of the OHR and the stabilization of the situation in BiH.

In my opinion, there are two options. One is to appoint a new High Representative and maintain the OHR institution in BiH with all the powers it has based on Article 5 of Annex 10. This option is short-term.

The second option is more complex but is long-term and permanent. The essence of this option lies in the need for BiH to truly become a democratic country, for discrimination against its own citizens in the area of human rights to be abolished, for the conflict-prone concept of "ethnic balance or imbalance of power" to be abandoned, for individual human rights and the principles of the rule of law to be constitutionally protected, and for BiH to thus become ready for integration into the EU.

Therefore, I want to appeal here to all of you who wish well for Bosnia and Herzegovina, that in the coming period we receive support to begin a transitional period in which we, in Bosnia and Herzegovina, with your help, will undertake all necessary constitutional and other reforms to make Bosnia and Herzegovina a modern democratic state with the rule of law and protection of human rights.

The time for transition and evolution of the political and legal system in Bosnia and Herzegovina has come, and we must begin it together without delay as soon as possible.

Anything else is a dangerous gamble with the security and stability not only of BiH but of the entire region, and potentially of the European continent. Ladies and gentlemen, it was my obligation to tell you this today, here - concluded Željko Komšić in his address.