Chair of the Presidency of Bosnia and Herzegovina Denis Bećirović addressed the United Nations Security Council in New York today, warning that attempts to undermine the Dayton Peace Agreement endanger state institutions and create conditions for secession.
At the start of his address, Bećirović expressed his condolences to the families of four Italian soldiers who lost their lives in a helicopter accident in Bosnia and Herzegovina, and thanked them for their service and contribution to the EUFOR Althea mission.
Speaking about the political and security situation in Bosnia and Herzegovina, he emphasized that the acting High Representative’s report confirms the need for continued international attention to protect peace, stability, and the Dayton Peace Agreement.
He also reflected on recently held General Elections in Bosnia and Herzegovina, emphasizing that the new technologies were used for the first time, including biometric voter identification and ballot scanners. According to him, their application proved fully justified, and Bosnia and Herzegovina confirmed its capacity to organize fair, free and democratic elections.
Warning about Attempts to Undermine the Dayton Peace Agreement
Bećirović assessed the Dayton Peace Agreement as one of the most successful peaceful agreements following World War II, especially emphasizing the role of the United States of America in achieving it.
He recalled that since the end of the war in 1995, Bosnia and Herzegovina, with the support of the international community, has achieved significant political and economic development, including the unification of the defense, judicial, and tax systems, and the establishment of numerous other institutions.
However, he warned that decades-long results of the implementation of the Dayton Peace Agreement are threatened.
According to him, the leadership of the Republika Srpska entity is trying to weaken and abolish the mandate of the High Representative, weaken the institution of the Constitutional Court of Bosnia and Herzegovina, and strip Bosnia and Herzegovina of its state property, contrary to national and international law.
“The separatist leadership of the Bosnian entity of Republika Srpska tries to create conditions for secessions,” Bećirović warned, adding that any attempt at secession would mean the destruction of peace and the Dayton Peace Agreement.”
Speaking about the lobbyist activities, he emphasized that certain political actors aim to change the decades-long US policy towards Bosnia and Herzegovina and secure international support for secession.
He reiterated the decision of the Constitutional Court of Bosnia and Herzegovina made on September 25, 2026, which banned the financing of lobbyist activities by the Republika Srpska entity that are not aligned with the Constitution of Bosnia and Herzegovina. He emphasized that lobbying is a legitimate activity only if it is carried out transparently and legally, without undermining the constitutional order of the state.
Three Prerequisites for Long-Term Peace and Stability
As three fundamental prerequisites for long-term peace and stability in the Western Balkans, Bećirović singled out: holding accountable all those generating crises and undermining the Dayton Peace Agreement, creating conditions for investments and stronger economic development, and building independent judicial institutions that will not be the extended arm of political parties.
He especially emphasized that the international community must preserve the instruments necessary for the protection of the Dayton Peace Agreement.
He emphasized the importance of Annex 10, as well as the preservation of the mandate and powers of the High Representative. He also highlighted that the appointment of the new high representative should be carried out so that they are elected by the Peace Implementation Council, and that the closure of the OHR can be discussed only after meeting the 5+2 program.
State Property Belongs to Bosnia and Herzegovina
Bećirović devoted a special part of his address to the issue of state property, emphasizing that the state of Bosnia and Herzegovina has exclusive jurisdiction to regulate it through decisions of competent state bodies.
He referred to the Constitution of Bosnia and Herzegovina, the Agreement on Succession Issues ratified in 2001, and final and binding decisions of the Constitutional Court of Bosnia and Herzegovina.
He emphasized that Bosnia and Herzegovina is the titleholder of all state property, whose ownership status is determined by the norms of international law.
According to him, the Constitutional Court of Bosnia and Herzegovina has clearly determined that state property reflects statehood, independence, sovereignty, and territorial integrity that belong exclusively to the state of Bosnia and Herzegovina, not the entities.
Entities and other lower levels of government may use the state property to the extent authorized by a law enacted by the Parliamentary Assembly of Bosnia and Herzegovina.
Discrimination and Glorification of War Criminals
Bećirović also pointed out the obligation of Bosnia and Herzegovina to eliminate systematic discrimination, which has been highlighted in the judgments of the European Court of Human Rights. He emphasized that all elements of discrimination must be removed from the Constitution of Bosnia and Herzegovina, and that a stable democracy can only rest on equality, non-discrimination, and functional institutions.
In his address, he also reflected on the glorification of legally convicted war criminals, citing the examples of the burials of Ratko Mladić and Biljana Plavšić with high honors.
He assessed such actions as unacceptable and dangerous, emphasizing that they indicate a failure to abandon the ideology and policies that led to aggression and genocide.
At the same time, he warned against pressures faced by the employees of the Srebrenica Memorial Center for preserving the truth about genocide against Bosniaks. He emphasized that pressure on the families of the genocide victims and the people who preserve the memory of the victims are unacceptable and represent a new, major danger.
Call to the International Community for Stronger Support to Bosnia and Herzegovina
Bećirović welcomed the decision of the UN Security Council to extend the mandate of the EUFOR Althea mission, emphasizing that it once again recognized how the security environment in Bosnia and Herzegovina requires a credible international presence.
He invited witness states of the Dayton Peace Agreement and other countries to provide stronger support to Bosnia and Herzegovina, particularly through a clear message that the undermining of the Dayton Peace Agreement will not be tolerated, through consideration of reactivating targeted sanctions against actors of destabilization, full support for the High Representative in using his powers, and advocacy for faster access of Bosnia and Herzegovina to NATO and European Union membership.
At the end of his address, he stated that independent, sovereign, and united Bosnia and Herzegovina has no alternative.
“The greatest strength of Bosnia and Herzegovina is the vast majority of people who are ready, at any cost, to preserve and strengthen our state. We will defend our state with everything we have, in accordance with international and national law. No one should doubt that,” Bećirović concluded before the United Nations Security Council.
