Bosnia’s Presidency Chair at UNSC: RS lobbying seeks support for secession, state property belongs to the state

Addressing the UN Security Council, he warned that attempts to weaken the High Representative, undermine the Constitutional Court and seize state property threatened the Dayton Peace Agreement.

“The leadership of the Bosnian entity of Republika Srpska is attempting through lobbying to change decades of established US policy towards Bosnia and Herzegovina,” he said.

“Their objective is to change US foreign policy towards Bosnia and Herzegovina and secure international support for secession.”

He warned that any secession attempt would mean “the collapse of peace and the Dayton Peace Agreement”, urging international partners to respond before that happened.

“Short-term lobbying efforts by anti-Dayton politicians should not take precedence over our long-term strategic interests.”

Citing a September 25, 2026 Constitutional Court decision, he said the Court had prohibited the financing of lobbying activities by Republika Srpska that were inconsistent with Bosnia and Herzegovina’s Constitution.

Lobbying was legitimate when conducted transparently and lawfully, he stressed, but must not be directed towards undermining the constitutional order.

State property and international oversight

The Presidency Chairman devoted a substantial part of his address to state property, arguing that only Bosnia and Herzegovina had the exclusive competence to regulate the issue through its state authorities.

He cited the country’s continued international legal personality, the Agreement on Succession Issues and final and binding Constitutional Court decisions as the legal foundations for state ownership.

“The Constitutional Court of Bosnia and Herzegovina has clearly stated that state property reflects statehood, independence, sovereignty and territorial integrity, which belong exclusively to the state of Bosnia and Herzegovina and not to the entities,” he said.

Entities and other lower levels of government could use such property only to the extent authorised by a law adopted by the state Parliamentary Assembly, he added.

He also warned that weakening the Constitutional Court, state judicial authorities and, particularly, the High Representative’s mandate and powers would directly threaten peace and stability.

The international community must preserve the instruments needed to protect Dayton, he argued, calling for the Peace Implementation Council to select the next High Representative without weakening the office.

“The closure of the Office of the High Representative can only be discussed once the 5+2 agenda has been fulfilled,” he said.

Sanctions and accountability

Describing Dayton as a major achievement of US foreign policy, the Presidency Chairman said decades of progress in building institutions were now under threat.

He urged international partners to consider reactivating targeted sanctions against those responsible for destabilisation, fully support the High Representative’s exercise of powers when necessary and advocate faster progress towards NATO and EU membership.

He condemned the glorification of convicted war criminals and warned that Srebrenica Memorial Center employees, researchers and victims’ families were facing pressure.

He also called for the removal of constitutional discrimination identified in European Court of Human Rights judgments.

Welcoming the October elections, he said biometric voter identification and ballot scanners had demonstrated their value. He also welcomed the renewal of EUFOR Althea’s mandate and expressed condolences following the helicopter crash that killed four Italian personnel and injured 11 people.

“There is no alternative to an independent, sovereign and united Bosnia and Herzegovina,” he concluded.

“We will defend our state by all available means in accordance with international and domestic law. No one should doubt that.”