At the beginning of March, the Federal Government of Germanyresponded to a “Minor Inquiry” regarding the role of the High Representative in Bosnia and Herzegovina (BiH), Christian Schmidt. From the perspective of the Federal Government, the appointment of Christian Schmidt as High Representative and successor to Valentin Inzko was lawfully carried out by the Steering Board of the Peace Implementation Council (PIC), which is solely responsible for this, on May 27th, 2021, with 54 out of 55 possible votes.
“We firmly reject any opposing claims that may have arisen from recent media reports. The United Nations (UN) Security Council itself does not have a constitutive role in the appointment of the High Representative,“ the Federal Government of Germany stated in response to the “Minor Inquiry” regarding the role of the High Representative in BiH, Christian Schmidt, as reported by the Public Relations Department of the Embassy of the Federal Republic of Germany in BiH.
As emphasized, in accordance with his mandate, the High Representative oversees compliance with the civilian aspects of the Dayton Peace Agreement. This includes the territorial integrity and sovereignty of BiH. The duties of the High Representative also include reporting to the UN Security Council twice a year as part of its rotating semi-annual review of the situation in BiH.
It was also highlighted that the Federal Government of Germany is in regular contact with other PIC members and the High Representative.
The role of the High Representative is defined by Annex X of the Dayton Peace Agreement. The Federal Government supports the work of the High Representative, who makes decisions independently and autonomously.
The rule of law in BiH remains a constant concern for the Federal Government, which it monitors, particularly within the framework of its membership in the European Union (EU), the Council of Europe, and the OSCE, but also through bilateral projects. Investigations or legal proceedings concerning suspected criminal offenses, in the opinion of the Federal Government, fall under the jurisdiction of the competent judicial authorities – regardless of the origin of the suspect(s) from either of the two entities.
Since its establishment in 1995, the High Representative has significantly contributed to peace and stability in the country. Even after nearly 30 years since the conclusion of the Dayton Peace Agreement, the Federal Government considers the High Representative to remain an important factor in the stability of BiHand, by extension, the region, the Public Relations Department of the Embassy of the Federal Republic of Germany stated.
