Former High Representative to Bosnia and Herzegovina (BiH),Christian Schwarz-Schilling spoke to Austria’s Der Standard about what the international community needed to learn from the war and the post-war period in BiH.
”Thirty years after the start of the war in BiH and 26 after the signing of the Dayton Peace Agreement, we should have learned that no compromises should be made in any case – on the one hand regarding the geographical expansion of the country and on the other regarding further development rule of law and democratic principles, Avaz writes.
The international community rejected BiH 30 years ago
The Dayton Peace Agreement, under pressure from the international community, ended the war but made the country inoperable because it did not have to adhere to these principles. The war – as it must be stated, unfortunately – has been continued for years through diplomatic means and thus practically decided in favor of the aggressors. Such mistakes should not be repeated,” Schwarz-Schilling told Der Standard.
He stressed that in his book “Lost Peace in BiH – How Europe Failed in the Balkans” he described how the international community rejected BiH 30 years ago “because it did not want to see the danger posed by Slobodan Milosevic and that his goal was actually to achieve Great Serbia – as Putin now wants to create Great Russia with Ukraine.”
At that time, there were four million people in BiH, today there are 40 million in Ukraine. It is difficult to compare two wars, but they have one thing in common: one should learn that a policy of appeasement, big or small, can never bring anything good.
Terrible pictures from Buca are reminiscent of the war in BiH
Schwarz-Schilling emphasized that the horrific images from Buca in Ukraine are reminiscent of the war crimes of the war in BiH, but also that the fact that the European Union (EU) has now united before the war in Ukraine and promotes a common policy is a “good sign of reorientation” and that it is very important that this paradigm shift continues.
The former High Representative in our country pointed out that it is important now to act, and not just wait with a reaction until the member of the Presidency of BiH, Milorad Dodik, “one day” separates the entity Republika Srpska (RS).
What are we really waiting for?
”In addition, the establishment of the High Representative should be supported – because that is where the so-called Bonnpowers lie. In order to use it, the international community would also need to give strong support. In my opinion, it would be important to strengthen the EU military mission EUFOR and facilitate BiH‘s path to NATO, ” Schwarz-Schilling explained, adding:
”What are we really waiting for? Should Dodik pass all laws in the RS parliament that are in conflict with the Dayton Peace Agreement which he has already announced for the fall? And then what?
When it comes to BiH, the international community is too passive, divided, and disinterested. If the current war against Ukraine, which could also threaten the Western Balkans, does not wake everyone up, then Europe’s self-affirmation will be at stake,” Schwarz-Schilling said for ‘Der Standard‘.
E.Dz.
