Schmidt at the Security Council warns of the 'dissolution' of the state of BiH: It would be a scenario with serious consequences

(Patria) - The regular semi-annual debate of the United Nations (UN) Security Council on the situation in Bosnia and Herzegovina is underway in New York.

High Representative Christian Schmidt was the first to address the attendees, who, in his report on the situation in our country, pointed out the positive and negative trends that marked the past period, reports N1.

Six Reports

- This is the third year I have addressed the Security Council in this role since my appointment on May 27, 2021. I have submitted six reports to the Secretary-General and the Security Council on the implementation of the Peace Agreement - said Schmidt.

He emphasized that international support is crucial for Bosnia and Herzegovina to continue its path towards sustainable peace and progress, and not to enter a phase of instability and economic difficulties.

- The state must rely on effective institutions, democratic principles of operation, and the Constitution, as set out in Annex 4 of the Peace Agreement - says Schmidt.

He assesses that positive progress has been made regarding the opening of negotiations for membership in the European Union.

- There are still many unfulfilled promises in BiH, but let's start with the good. I want to congratulate Bećirović on behalf of the citizens of BiH on the important step of opening negotiations with the EU. The decision of the European Council is politically justified. Citizens are afraid of war, they want to live in peace and stability - states Schmidt.

He appealed to everyone to take steps and act together for common progress. A lot needs to be invested in trust, said Schmidt, assessing that this can be a good start.

The High Representative warned about the declining birth rate, emphasizing that it is a major challenge for BiH as it could lose younger generations.

- Bosnia and Herzegovina must accelerate reforms and implement the Peace Agreement, that is the basis on which we are working. This is a good opportunity to create a positive climate step by step and further strengthen it with trust and stability.

The opening of negotiations with the EU is an important moment that is at risk due to threats from RS, as well as from others who undermine BiH's competencies as foreseen by the Dayton Peace Agreement - states Schmidt.

He informed those present that the problem of denying the genocide in Srebrenica, which is an internationally proven fact, still exists.

He also reminded that on March 21 and 22, the European Council decided to open accession negotiations with BiH. The Council invited the European Commission to prepare a negotiating framework, which will be adopted after all relevant steps from the Commission's recommendation of October 12, 2022, are completed.

Schmidt believes that this decision of the European Council represents a turning point in terms of the opportunities opening up for Bosnia and Herzegovina.

Undermining the State

He warned that the authorities of the smaller BiH entity, led by Milorad Dodik, are actively undermining the state of BiH, its competencies, and institutions, and thus the Dayton Peace Agreement.

Their threat to paralyze state bodies by blocking their work and decision-making, Schmidt adds, is a threat to the functioning of the state and its ability to fulfill its responsibilities.

- Their threat to unilaterally withdraw RS from the constitutional, legal, and institutional framework of the state, including the Armed Forces of BiH, and the state's tax, judicial, and electoral systems - is a threat to the establishment of a parallel RS framework.

All political factors must express their unconditional respect for the Dayton Peace Agreement and BiH, its state sovereignty, and territorial integrity. That respect is partially lacking - believes Schmidt.

He explained that the parties of the ruling coalition in RS continued to organize protests on the inter-entity line called "The Border Exists". In addition to promoting the idea of secessionism, the High Representative adds, these protests also create a divided environment prone to security incidents.

The High Representative also pointed to the "unprecedented pressure" on the work of judicial institutions. In addition to promoting the abolition of the Court of BiH and the Prosecutor's Office of BiH, the "ruling coalition from RS is undermining the Constitutional Court of BiH as the guardian of the constitutional and legal order of BiH".

Challenges to the institution and mandate of the High Representative have also continued unimpeded, stated the Head of the OHR. This, according to him, includes inflammatory rhetoric, as well as actions that undermine respect for the international ad hoc institution of the High Representative and thus its ability to implement the General Framework Agreement for Peace.

- Representatives of the ruling coalition in RS openly misuse BiH institutions to achieve this goal. The final authority for interpreting the Dayton Peace Agreement is fully entrusted to the High Representative, not to the entity - Schmidt explained.

He also points out that such actions by the parties of the ruling coalition in RS go hand in hand with their legislative initiatives within the entity itself, limiting civic space in order to silence, discourage, threaten, and ultimately punish dissent.

- If they continue, these actions could lead to the de facto, if not de jure, dissolution of the state of BiH, which the President of RS Milorad Dodik constantly advocates for. That would be a scenario with serious consequences - Schmidt warns the UN Security Council.

He also highlighted the regression in public efforts to confront the past and the alarming level of ethno-national revisionism, denial of genocide and other war crimes, as well as the glorification of war criminals.

On the Kalinovik Scandal

During the presentation of his report, Schmidt also mentioned the scandalous behavior of the Deputy Minister of Defense of BiH, Aleksandar Goganović, and the Chief of the Joint Staff of the BiH Armed Forces, Lieutenant General Gojko Knežević, and others who paid tribute yesterday in Kalinovik at the monument to war criminal Ratko Mladić.

Let us remind you that Goganović and Knežević, along with several other members of the BiH Armed Forces of Serb nationality, paid tribute yesterday to Serb fighters killed in the war in the nineties, in front of a monument in Kalinovik, which symbolizes the general's cap of Ratko Mladić, convicted of genocide in Srebrenica and other war crimes.

Schmidt said that he received this news immediately before the session and that he still needs to verify everything, but he added that it is unacceptable and punishable by the Criminal Code of BiH.