The former High Representative to Bosnia and Herzegovina, Christian Schmidt, stated in an interview with the German newspaper Tagesspiegel that he made the decision to step down following a clear signal from Washington.
“The American side expressed a clear expectation for me to end my mandate,” Schmidt said.
He added that it could not be ruled out that, otherwise, both the Dayton Peace Agreement and the role of the High Representative—”which protects Bosnia and Herzegovina from dissolution by separatists”—would have been called into question.
“That perspective forced me to take action for Dayton,” Schmidt said.
Dodik, Russia, and the UN
Schmidt noted that Milorad Dodik “personally declared me his enemy.”
“Perhaps, to put it dramatically, I served my head on a silver platter so that the institutions created by the Dayton Peace Agreement could be preserved,” he said.
He added that it was important for him to announce his departure before the UN Security Council session to prevent that body, which according to him “is not actually competent,” from being weaponized for Russian interests.
Dodik’s Lobbyists
When asked whether there was a deal under which Schmidt would step down in exchange for Dodik dropping his separatist laws, the High Representative stated he had seen no such agreement.
“I don’t want to speculate. I also don’t see US President Donald Trump siding with Dodik,” he said.
However, he noted that Dodik had established contacts with the MAGA movement and the American Heritage Foundation.
“He paid millions of dollars to lobbyists to work against me,” Schmidt said.
According to him, there are factions within those circles that want to abolish the position of the High Representative as the ultimate overseer of peace in BiH.
The Heritage Foundation and the OHR
Schmidt also commented on the stance of Max Primorac, an associate at the Heritage Foundation, who argues that the High Representative stands in the way of BiH’s sovereignty and that the country should be self-governed by its three constituent peoples—Serbs, Croats, and Bosniaks.
“In my view, such a scenario currently increases the risk of secession, which is exactly what Dodik has been trying to achieve,” Schmidt said.
Speaking about the US administration’s position, he stated that he currently sees no strong desire in Washington to abolish the OHR.
“The State Department under Marco Rubio, and for that matter the US Congress, consistently emphasize the territorial integrity of Bosnia and Herzegovina,” he said.
He added that Dodik presents himself as an ally of Russian President Vladimir Putin, and that he sees no signs of Russian-American cooperation on this issue.
Pipeline Plans
Tagesspiegel also asked Schmidt whether economic interests—specifically American plans for an LNG pipeline running from the Croatian island of Krk to BiH—were behind the US actions.
Schmidt explained that the pipeline was originally a European project aimed at making BiH independent of Russian gas.
“Europe, however, let it fall through. I can’t blame the Americans for wanting to step in,” he said.
He added that such projects in the Balkans do not move forward without political influence, but also noted that quick profits are unrealistic.
“To make money here, you need to stay for the long haul,” Schmidt said.
BiH, as he pointed out, is a country without a strong industrial base and is economically limited in size—realistically home to about 2.8 million people, which is smaller than Berlin, with a GDP of around 30 billion euros.
“I Am Not in the Way”
When asked if he was standing in the way of American interests, Schmidt replied:
“I have not been, and I am not standing in the way.”
He emphasized that his only interest is a solution “within the framework of existing law” and in line with European standards.
Schmidt noted that the pipeline is supposed to cross land that once belonged to the former state of Yugoslavia, and that property ownership issues remain unresolved to this day.
“As High Representative, I can decisively help resolve this in a legally flawless and clean manner,” he said in the interview, which was clearly given while he was still in office.
He added that he had signaled this to the member states of the Peace Implementation Council (PIC), but the necessary political will was lacking.
“China is also knocking on the door,” Schmidt warned.
Successor and the Bonn Powers
Schmidt said he does not know who his successor will be, but emphasized that the critical question is what powers that person will hold.
He questioned whether the future High Representative would still be able to use the so-called Bonn Powers—meaning the authority to impose laws without parliamentary approval when the Dayton peace is threatened.
Abolishing those powers, he said, would require domestic legislative readiness, which is currently non-existent.
Schmidt recalled that during his 12-year tenure, his predecessor Valentin Inzko imposed a law only once, which criminalized genocide denial.
“During my mandate, I had to enact more than 20 laws,” Schmidt said, adding that they have so far been upheld by the Constitutional Court of BiH and European courts.
“Sometimes You Need to Be Harsh”
When asked if he should have shown more empathy toward Bosniaks, Croats, and Serbs, Schmidt replied that he does not view that as a valid criticism.
“I don’t lack empathy, and a person often has to fight a lot within themselves,” he said.
He added that the reality in BiH sometimes demands “harshness.”
“You cannot make progress simply by using round-table principles,” Schmidt said.
As he stated, he was more idealistic at the beginning but had to learn that in a “carrot-and-stick” dynamic, sometimes “more stick” is required.
EUFOR and Security
Offering advice to his successor, Schmidt said two key issues must be addressed.
The first is how to reconcile the High Representative’s strong interventionist powers under the Dayton Agreement with the goal of European integration, which relies on democratic participation.
The second is the issue of BiH’s external security and which alliance will guarantee it—whether through NATO or other means.
Schmidt emphasized that the internal security of the unified state is still militarily guaranteed by European peacekeeping troops under Chapter VII of the UN Charter.
“We still need that military component today, 31 years after the Dayton Agreement,” he said.
Criticism of the EU
Schmidt was highly critical of the European Union’s approach to BiH and the Western Balkans.
“We Europeans tend to comfort ourselves. As long as there are no shots fired or explosions, we claim we are on the right track,” he said.
He added that today BiH does not even meet the conditions to draw down one billion euros in growth aid because its politicians lack political will.
“If Dodik questions whether Bosnia is a unified state and wants to separate Republika Srpska, then he is questioning its very existence,” Schmidt said.
State Property and the EU Path
Schmidt believes that the issue of state property is one of the key structural challenges in BiH.
“The EU has no solution for the state property problem,” he said, comparing it to how the rebuilding of former East Germany would have looked if the future of former state property had not been resolved.
For the EU, according to him, resolving this issue is a prerequisite for accession talks, but many politicians in BiH show no desire to settle it.
Schmidt said he believes the integration of the Western Balkans is in Europe’s security and geopolitical interest, but some in the EU are “deluding themselves.”
SEPA, Corruption, and Discrimination
Schmidt warned that Europe is failing to even implement the SEPA payment system in BiH.
He added that BiH is not doing enough to fight money laundering and terrorism financing, and that corruption remains endemic.
He specifically pointed to the failure to implement rulings from the European Court of Human Rights.
“Discrimination is a legal reality of everyday life. A Roma or a Jew cannot become the country’s president,” Schmidt said.
Following his mandate in BiH, he says he views the EU perspective with reservation as a “cure-all” for all of BiH’s problems.
“More for More, Less for Less”
Schmidt said that progress toward the EU can only work gradually.
He believes the EU must be more critical of political elites and clearly distinguish between those working for the citizens and on Europe’s side, and those who, despite paying lip service to European integration, actually work against European interests.
“We should work more consistently on the principle of ‘more for more and less for less,’” he said.
He added that incentives alone are not enough.
The Youth Exodus
Schmidt also warned about the issue of young and educated people leaving BiH.
“If the EU does not come to the Balkans, many people from there will migrate to the EU,” he said.
According to him, the “brain drain” – the loss of educated individuals – is a massive problem.
“We must give young people practical prospects so they can fulfill their potential in their own country without losing their connection to Europe,” he said.
Schmidt’s Future
When asked what he will do after leaving BiH, Schmidt said he would stay out of immediate matters concerning BiH out of respect for his successor.
He added that he turns 69 in August, but his wife warns him not to tell people he is going into political retirement.
“There is plenty waiting for me in Munich, Berlin, and Brussels,” Schmidt said.
