Under the UN's Watch: BiH Sovereignty Under Pressure from Neighbours

By: A. Čorbo-Zećo

In front of the whole world, on the stage of the United Nations Security Council, representatives of Croatia and Serbia once again showed what we in BiH have known for a long time – that neighbours have never given up their ambition to participate in shaping the internal affairs of our country.

Željko Komšić clearly stated in his address that he is sure that activities aimed at the secession of a part of BiH will continue.

Under the guise of supporting the extension of the EUFOR Althea mission mandate, both Hrvoje Ćurić Hrvatinić and Radomir Ilić, in their speeches, actually clearly articulated positions that deeply encroach upon BiH's sovereignty.

The Croatian diplomat, using his usual rhetoric, once again reduced BiH's problem to the "inequality of constituent peoples," calling for changes to the election law – through which Croatia, for years, under the guise of concern for Croats in BiH, has been trying to institutionalize the ethnic principle as a measure of democracy. The outgoing High Representative in BiH, Christian Schmidt, has greatly assisted them in this so far.

On the other hand, Serbia's ambassador Radomir Ilić reiterated Belgrade's well-known positions – nominal respect for BiH's territorial integrity, along with open criticism of High Representative Christian Schmidt and his decisions. His speech, in fact, represents direct political support for the policy of Milorad Dodik, who has been undermining the country's constitutional order for years and threatening its disintegration.

What they both have in common is that they feign goodwill.

Croatia, through its concern for "legitimate representatives," with added elements of boasting about humanitarian aid to BiH, and Serbia, through the "protection of Dayton" – both act as if BiH is not a sovereign state, but a territory whose internal affairs are resolved through the Zagreb-Belgrade channel.

And this is happening before the eyes of the world.

The UN hall, where the international guarantee of peace and stability in BiH should be confirmed, has turned into a space for diplomatic demonstrations by those who left the deepest scars in that same country in the nineties.

Unfortunately, while neighbours shape narratives about "constituent peoples" and "entities," BiH has yet to finally slam its fist on the table and remind them that the state is the state of all its citizens, not a political experiment of Zagreb and Belgrade. Zlatko Lagumdžija responded to the Serbian representative, noting that questioning Komšić's legitimacy is inappropriate in this institution.

With due respect, counting voters' bloodlines or their religious affiliation is not only against the Dayton Agreement or human rights, but it is contrary to the fundamental principles on which this institution rests, Lagumdžija will rightly say.

But, this is exactly what is expected within Bosnia and Herzegovina as well, that we all finally say – ENOUGH IS ENOUGH!