The member states of the European Union are currently trying to reach an agreement on a new high representative, and the Italians have come up with a way to make the name of their diplomat Antonio Zanardi Landi more acceptable.
Landi is an Italian diplomat who is supported by the United States of America, but many European Union countries fear that, if he were to be appointed to the position of high representative in BiH, he could advocate interests that are against the goals of the European Union.
In the first place is the fear that Landi could revoke Christian Schmidt’s decision to amend the Criminal Code of Bosnia and Herzegovina, according to which Milorad Dodik was convicted. For this reason, the EU countries were thinking about a scenario in which, along with Landi’s appointment, another document would be adopted that would say that the new high representative may not revoke the decisions of the old high representatives.
Italian diplomats, therefore, sent their colleagues from other EU countries a non-paper in which the key priorities for the new high representative were listed, and in which the EU’s fears were satisfied.
The non-paper states that Landi would be focused on solving Agenda 5+2, which is a condition for closing the OHR, as well as that he should reduce the scope of the OHR.
The most important part of the non-paper for many EU countries is the one in which it is explicitly stated that Landi will not overturn old decisions.
“His approach will be future-oriented; he will not overturn previous decisions. Bonn powers will only be used as a last resort. Any binding decision will be made in close consultation with all members of the PIC Board of Directors,” the non-paper states as one of the new high representative’s priorities.
The part that says “Landi will embody BiH’s determination to apply for EU membership” is also important for the EU.
What is also interesting is that the Italians state in the document that Landi will have a mandate of two years, with the possibility of extension for another two years, without prejudicing the continuation of the mandate of the OHR, whose closure remains conditional on the fulfillment of Agenda 5+2.
However, considering that it is an unofficial document, the EU countries would have to insist that, along with the appointment of Landi, a document that would limit his possibilities be adopted, Klix.ba writes.
