Michael Martens, correspondent of German newspaper Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung for Southeast Europe, claims that the OHR is warning international investors in Republika Srpska, as well as banks that are thinking of accepting state property as a guarantee for loans, to be careful because they risk losing their investments.
According to Martens, this is one of the ways for the OHR to gain control over the President of the RS
“Back in April last year, the high representative of the international community in BiH, German politician Christian Schmidt, addressed a letter to various financial and economic institutions in BiH, warning them,” Martnes wrote and shared the document that the OHR sent to various levels of government in our country.
The letter points out that the RS’s attempt to appropriate state property by law is null and void. If the corresponding law were to be passed, it would “violate legal certainty and a predictable business and investment environment in the Republika Srpska”.
The letter further calls on the business community in Bosnia (and beyond) to be aware of and comply with existing legal regulations when planning or undertaking investments and other business activities in BiH, especially in the RS.
“This means…avoiding investments or any legal transactions involving state property, especially in the RS. Caution protects your best interest and is the best guarantee…of profitable investments in Republika Srpska,” Schmidt continues.
Martnes claims that during his last visit to Bosnia and Herzegovina, he had an argument with a number of people who were knowledgeable about the issue.
He was told that until the issue of state property is resolved, the OHR will remain open in BiH, and if there is political will, it can be resolved through legal means.
“In Dayton, there is no provision on the distribution of state assets, although Dodik and his advisors claim that everything was resolved then. Ideally, it would be good for all investors to say: We will not invest a penny in the RS until this is resolved,” one of the interlocutors told him.
Examples of potentially risky investments include highways, power plants or airports in Tuzla (not in the RS) and Banja Luka. Any investor who is thinking of investing money in these airports should be aware of the danger of losing that money, said one interlocutor.
Asked if there is enough understanding on the Bosniak side that the RS must get a fair share of its state property, one interlocutor answered: “Not always. And we definitely have many examples in the Federation that look at property that does not belong to them.”
Martens also claims that the interlocutors told him that imposing a new decision on Schmidt should not be ruled out, if the parliament does not do anything after the expert commission organized by the OHR completes its report by September.
“But for that to happen, all partners must provide support: embassies, the World Bank, the IMF, other financial institutions. The OHR cannot do that alone,” one of the interlocutors told him.
According to one of Martens’ interlocutors, investors are beginning to understand the seriousness of the situation, and that ignoring it could harm their interests.
“Milorad Dodik is selling state property. He has already registered and sold a large part of it. Now that the issue of state property is on the table, it is becoming difficult for him. Investors may ask questions regarding the property: Are you sure it is yours? Can I build here?”, claims of his interlocutors.
They believe that there is nothing wrong with entities or local communities using state property.
“But we must have a law at the state level that distributes property in an acceptable and sustainable way for everyone,” they believe.
On the other hand, Martnes believes that a specific set of moves is being prepared.
“Should Dodik continue with his threats of secession, maybe the international community has some surprises in store for him, especially regarding his or certain properties/accounts of his relatives outside BiH. I’m not sure if it’s a good idea for the OHR to act as a scarecrow of potential investors in Bosnia and Herzegovina, but it seems that this is the situation,” concludes Martens, Klix.ba reports.
