High Representative in BiH Christian Schmidt said that Bosnia and Herzegovina has a functional future, but that institutions must be used and laws respected. He warned of the seriousness of the current situation and the crossing of red lines, but also highlighted the differences compared to the war years.
“It’s not 1992 – now we have a structure and rules”
“No matter how serious the situation is, 1992 cannot be repeated. Today we have a legal framework, institutions, a European Union that is more vigilant and careful than before. I will submit a report on Tuesday. What worries me are the observations that individuals go too far and cross red lines. They should not do that,” Schmidt said.
He stressed that contestation and threats of secession raise tensions, but that it is crucial to distinguish the current order from the chaos of the early 1990s.
“Any group of people, entity, club – if there is discrimination, it is not good. This now seems to be not a problem of the state, but of individuals. Citizens of RS must not be political hostages,” he added.
“Dodik is a symptom, not a cause”
Commenting on Milorad Dodik’s actions, Schmidt called him “a symptom of the problem,” but also pointed to the political responsibility of a wider spectrum.
“I would call on all those who support him to look at the real situation. There is an opposition in RS, a strong one – I did not influence it, they are like that by nature. People do not have enough faith, they feel fear. But this is not the way to play politics,” he said.
Will they use the Bonn powers?
When asked about a possible ban on Dodik, SNSD, Prime Minister Radovan Višković and Speaker of the RSNA Nenad Stevandić, Schmidt replied:
“I see a political solution, but it will not come from BiH alone. The laws adopted by the RSNA have been referred to the Constitutional Court for review. It is interesting that his lawyers have filed an appeal with the Court of BiH,” he said.
He pointed out that last week he used the Bonn powers and banned the financing of two political parties for their actions against the Dayton Agreement.
“I have all the means on the table. I will use them if necessary. I call on everyone not to use just rhetoric, but to seriously think about the direction they are going,” he said when asked if he would use the Bonn powers to remove Milorad Dodik.
“He definitely went too far”
When asked if Milorad Dodik went too far, Schmidt responded decisively:
“He definitely went too far. I will rely on democratic structures. There is an arrest warrant against Dodik. He is bringing us into complicated situations that we do not want. In this country, too many votes were cast for peace 30 years ago, too much work was done to ignore institutions and laws,” Schmidt emphasized for Face tv.
He reminded that, according to Annex 10 of the Dayton Peace Agreement, the use of the Bonn Powers is his duty.
“That is my job. I have the right to use them. I am not someone who tells nice stories, but I work to bring things to a legal end,” Schmidt concluded.
SIPA is acting reasonably
Finally, he commented on the activities of the state agency SIPA in the RS entity.
“They were told that they cannot operate in that area, but I see that they are acting reasonably. If they need support – I will give it to them,” the High Representative said to Face TV.
