If the current trend is not reversed, Bosnia will be stuck in the past and will constantly lag behind the rest of the countries in the region, the international administrator in Bosnia, Austrian diplomat Valentin Inzko said addressing the 15th Conference of European Regions and Cities in Salzburg on Monday.

Inzko, who serves as the High Representative in Bosnia and oversees the civilian implementation of the Dayton Peace Agreement, which ended the 1992-95 Bosnian war, presented an overview of the current political situation in the country during a panel discussion titled Peace in the Western Balkans.

The event was organized by the Institut der Regionen Europas (IRE), under the honorary patronage of the Austrian President, Alexander van der Bellen.

A year has passed since the general elections in Bosnia and authorities need to be urgently formed at all levels, Inzko said.

The authorities should focus on forward-looking agendas and important issues for the future, such as European integration and economic growth, he stressed.

“If the current trend is not reversed, Bosnia and Herzegovina will be stuck in the past and will constantly lag behind the rest of the Western Balkans countries,” said the High Representative.

He also emphasised the need to advance the rule of law in the country.

“The rule of law is the foundation of every country and for that reason, it must receive proper attention in BiH,” Inzko said.