Bosnia and Herzegovina must seize the opportunity to “finally say farewell to the politics of the past” and decisively commit to a new way of doing politics that puts the interests of citizens firmly in the first place, said a UN envoy on Tuesday.
It is of special significance this year as the Balkan country is expected to mark the 20th anniversary of the end of the bloodiest conflict in Europe since the Second World War, said the high representative for Bosnia and Herzegovina, Valentin Inzko, while briefing the UN Security Council on the current situation in the country at a regular meeting of the 15-nation council.
“Bosnia and Herzegovina has been given a fresh chance and it must be taken,” said Inzko, who also stressed that the European Union’s initiative offers the country a chance to end years of stagnation.
In July, Bosnia and Herzegovina will mark the 20th year anniversary of the Srebrenica genocide and in November, the Dayton/ Paris peace Accords that ushered in peace to the region. The Bosnian conflict in the 1990s left 100,000 people killed.
“Peace is of course a priceless commodity. It should never be taken for granted. But it is the base, not the end state,” said Inzko who, an Austrian diplomat of Carinthian Slovene origin, assumed his office in March 2009.
It is “entirely right” that after 20 years, the people of Bosnia and Herzegovina — especially the young — expect “so much more” from their country and their politicians, he said. According to him, Bosnia has the highest young unemployment rate in Europe, and many of the young people are leaving the country.
Inzko also said the international community is “duty bound to recognize the importance of this moment,” and called on it to help the forces of positive change in Bosnia and Herzegovina reach their “surge capacity.”
(Source: shangajdaily)
