HR Inzko at United Nations: BiH faces worst crisis since Dayton


Bosnia and Herzegovina (BiH) faces its worst political crises since the end of the war in 1995. The Dayton-Paris Peace Agreement (DPA) that brought the country peace for 15 years is exposed to serious violations, High Representative and European Union Special Representative Valentin Inzko told the United Nations Security Council (UNSC) today in New York.


The authorities of the Republika Srpska (RS) have continued to advocate the dissolution of the country, State level institutions are under political, institutional and economic pressure, and more than seven months after the elections there is still no prospect of a new state government being formed, HR/EUSR Inzko said.


With the legislative process at state level at a standstill, “the European Union and Euro-Atlantic integration processes have come to a complete halt,” said HR/EUSR Inzko in his speech today.


In this already difficult climate, the RS National Assembly has passed conclusions and a decision to hold a referendum specifically targeting the state judicial institutions as well as the High Representative’s UN Chapter VII mandate. Holding such a referendum would be against the DPA and would undermine the constitutional system of division of responsibilities between the State and the Entities established under the Peace Agreement.


In addition to his bi-annual report to the UNSC, High Representative Inzko submitted a special report to the UNSC on these recent acts by the RS authorities, reflecting the seriousness of the situation. HR Inzko also warned against viewing these developments as only a short term negative trend. “The need for an international presence, both civilian and military, with an executive mandate is still evident,” he said.

Europa.ba