Situation in BiH is not good, this country has been on a downward trajectory for eight years

High Representative Valentin Inzko addressed the UN Security Council today and presented his six-month report on the implementation of peace in Bosnia and Herzegovina. Inzko, at the beginning of his address, reminded that citizens of BiH went to the polls a month ago to vote in the seventh post-war general elections, reports the Bosnian news agency Patria.

- They went to the polls just one year before the twentieth anniversary of the signing of the Dayton Peace Agreement and in a situation of deepening stagnation and socio-economic difficulties. Regardless of whether you have read my report, the latest EU report, or reports from Bosnian non-governmental organizations monitoring the work of the authorities, the results achieved in the last four years are far from the desired goal. As if all this were not enough, just a few months earlier we witnessed how nearly a million people were endangered by tragic and catastrophic floods unprecedented in Bosnia and Herzegovina - said the High Representative.

On this occasion, he highlighted the "enormous" role played by the United Nations on the ground, in terms of coordination and information exchange during the provision of aid.

- The scenes I witnessed when visiting flood victims, days after the heavy rains ravaged the country, were truly shocking. However, a glimmer of light in this misfortune was the instinctive readiness of local communities and thousands of ordinary citizens to help each other regardless of ethnicity. Unfortunately, the parties, officials, and institutions that govern the country at various levels have not responded to the country's problems with the same spontaneous urgency and creativity with which ordinary citizens responded to the floods. That is why Bosnia and Herzegovina has been on a downward trajectory since 2006. Eight years is a long time for any country when it is heading in the wrong direction.

It is not surprising that there is a huge amount of disappointment, anger, and frustration. This is particularly worrying among young people, where unemployment is above 57 percent, one of the highest youth unemployment rates in Europe. These young people, the future of this country, have been especially let down," said Inzko and emphasized that the situation is not good and must be addressed.

These elections, as he said, are not just another round of general elections in Bosnia and Herzegovina. It is about the decisive four-year period ahead for the citizens of Bosnia and Herzegovina, regardless of their ethnicity or the part of the country they live in.

- Now there must be a fundamental change, the interests of the country and its citizens must come before the interests of the privileged political class. The good news is that we have a chance to turn over a new leaf. The beginning of a new mandate gives us a timely opportunity to start anew, a chance that cannot be missed, to take big steps towards lasting peace and stability that come with Euro-Atlantic integration.

The integration of the region into the European Union, including Bosnia and Herzegovina, is much more than prosperity and raising standards. It is about healing the wounds of the past and enabling citizens in the region to live again with their compatriots without borders. This is certainly my great wish for the citizens of these areas, and I know many share it," said Inzko.

Political leaders, as he said, should have no doubts about how it is not acceptable to simply continue working as before.

- We have certain expectations and therefore expect complacency to be replaced by a sense of urgency. The citizens of Bosnia and Herzegovina and the international community are fully agreed on one simple thing: we expect a fundamental change in the way politics is conducted. And such a change in approach is absolutely possible," he said.

All in all, according to his words, it is expected that the needs of citizens are addressed directly and that the country returns to the path of Euro-Atlantic integration, which is the declared strategic goal for Bosnia and Herzegovina.

The new authorities, Inzko believes, need to urgently take steps to restructure the business environment so that new jobs can be created in the private sector.

- Allow me to take this opportunity to once again say that I fully support the EU initiative called the "Growth Pact". Progress on the path of Euro-Atlantic integration must be unblocked. In this regard, I also welcome the initiative of Great Britain and Germany announced last week to define a reform plan to strengthen Bosnian institutions and accelerate this country's moves towards the EU. I once again emphasize that it is crucial for the future authorities to seize this new opportunity," said the High Representative.

- The first thing we now expect from the parties that participated in the recent elections is the swift formation of authorities in a manner that is in accordance with the law, unlike what happened in 2010. I also appealed to the authorities to appoint more women and to select candidates for ministerial positions and other posts who have knowledge, especially in the field of economics, to achieve the necessary progress. This is easily achievable if there is at least a minimum of political will - Inzko believes.

Finding healthy compromises

Likewise, the effort invested in blocking progress on certain issues, especially at the state level, according to Inzko, must be directed towards finding healthy compromises needed for the country to move forward. Therefore, I expect noticeable progress in the work of state institutions in the next four years, he added.

- Furthermore, the commitment to the rule of law and the fight against corruption must be reaffirmed. Words are not enough. We must see concrete results. Many rulings of the Constitutional Court of BiH, which, in accordance with the Peace Agreement, are "final and binding," remain unimplemented. They must now be implemented, including the decision on Mostar. The citizens of that city must regain the basic right to elect their local officials.

Finally, challenges to Dayton and the sovereignty of the state must cease. I am appalled that some leaders still insult the intelligence of their own citizens, thinking that talk of secession, divisions, and hatred will hide their own failure to provide them with a better life.

While they work on a long-term strategy to bring the country to ruin in order to justify its breakup, with all the risks that such a strategy carries, young people are losing time without the educational and professional opportunities that life in a functional country offers.

As calls for a referendum on secession have been repeated over the past months, I had to respond, reminding people of the facts: according to the Peace Agreement, entities do not have the right to secede. I would like to once again clearly say: there will be no redrawing of borders," said High Representative Valentin Inzko.

He expressed hope that the new authorities will do what is necessary to quickly return BiH to the right path.
 

Is there an alternative?

- Is there an alternative to this? Yes, there is. Political leaders can continue doing what they have been doing for the last eight years. If that is what they decide to do, they must know that it will almost certainly have consequences, and none of us will be able to say they were not warned. The February demonstrations were a clear wake-up call for the political establishment in Bosnia and Herzegovina, but also for the international community. Although no one could accurately predict when the next public reaction would occur if the policy of the last eight years continued, it would only be a matter of time before it happened. That is in no one's interest - said Inzko.

He emphasized that today he addressed the Security Council not only as the High Representative but also as a true friend of Bosnia and Herzegovina who wants the best for its citizens.

- I am aware that I have been extremely candid today, but there are times when the best thing you can do for a friend is to speak honestly, and this is precisely such a time.

Those political leaders who decide to enter government in the coming weeks must change their behavior and must, once and for all, break the vicious circle of defiance and mutual one-upmanship that has brought us here - Inzko pointed out.

Just as Bosnians and Herzegovinians must make more effort, so must the international community, Inzko believes, because it is clear that the work of the international community in Bosnia and Herzegovina is not finished.

- This is a time to reaffirm our commitment to a unique and united Bosnia and Herzegovina and to be more united than ever in supporting the thorough and sometimes painful changes needed to make the country functional, stable, and prosperous.

Those politicians and those people who want to work together in mutual trust to lead the country forward will have our full and active support. At the same time, those who want to advocate for divisions and secession must finally understand that drawing borders in Bosnia and Herzegovina is behind us. As I myself witnessed two days ago at the moving ceremonies marking the anniversary of the fall of the Berlin Wall, the future is not in divisions among people. It is in togetherness to build a better tomorrow - Inzko concluded.