My suggestion to Milorad Dodik is to stop acting like a steam-roller and to think about the consequences such a policy can have not just for him but for all those implementing his wrongful commands, International Community’s High Representative Christian Schmidt told N1 Wednesday, commenting on the reaction BiH Presidency member Dodik had after hearing that Schmidt suspended the Republika Srpska (RS) entity Law on Immovable Property.

Dodik said Wednesday afternoon that Schmidt’s decision will not be implemented and that the said Law will come into force on Thursday.

“International community’s decisions must be respected. A look into the Dayton Peace Agreement and Annex X, Article 5 will help,” Schmidt said.

As an example of some of the consequences of the policy led by Dodik, Schmidt mentioned that Germany had already scrapped developmental projects in Trebinje and that the UK had placed him and the President of the RS Zeljka Cvijanovic on the list of sanctions.

The High Representative then explained that he had only suspended the Law because he wants BiH Institutions to start making decisions and one of those institutions is the Constitutional Court that must rule on the matter.

When asked what he would do if the said Law does enter into force, Schmidt said the BiH Prosecution would have to decide.

“The moment of justice will come. That’s why I told the international community and international investors to be mindful of how they conduct their business in Bih and to abide by the law, just like every other BiH citizen,” he told N1.

Support from the entire Peace Implementation Council

Schmidt said he received unanimous support from the international community during the Wednesday meeting when he decided to suspend the mentioned Law.

“I’m very grateful that yesterday, during the Peace Implementation Council (PIC) session, I was able to establish during intensive talks that everyone unanimously and jointly supported this decision. I am not a fan of using the Bonn powers, but my task is to use the Bonn powers as a last resort when I can do nothing more. Everyone stood behind this decision. According to Russia's ideas, there is no such law (the RS property law), but that law should also be annulled. Russia simply suspended its participation in the PIC, they’re not taking part in PIC’s sessions. I would be grateful if the Russian Federation would support my decision, but I think there are some sober people in Moscow who would support it,” the international community’s envoy said.

The High Representative in BiH is a function imposed by the international community in order to observe the implementation of the civilian aspect of the Dayton Peace Agreement that ended the 1992-1995 war in BiH and to do so effectively, the High Representative was given the so-called Bonn powers that allow them to amend, suspend or annul laws and to sanction local politicians who are breaking the Dayton Accords.

He underlined that “the decision on complete ownership [over BiH’s immovable property] is in the hands of the state of BiH until the law is passed in the BiH Parliamentary Assembly, in Sarajevo, in which the entities will take part, after which the distribution [of property] will be done.”

Reacting to the High Representative’s decision, Milorad Dodik said he should quickly get a one-way ticket back to Germany. Schmidt laughed at this statement and told N1 that as long as the international community seed the need for his stay in the country, he will remain in office.

“That is the obligation it took. When we (the international community) hear such statements regarding sanctions and similar things… it would be better for Dodik to think of all the countries where he can buy a ticket and travel to. I think Dodik is his own enemy,” Schmidt said and added that local leaders and he do not have to share the same opinion to have a conversation and agree on something.

The international community has returned to BiH

Now that he had used the Bonn powers, he was asked if he would use them again when the RS Law on entity High Judicial and Prosecutorial Council would come into effect, thus making a parallel institution in BiH, Schmidt said that decision is up to RS politicians but noted that international community is back in BiH.

“All EU countries and the OHR will keep an eye on that, together. It is in the hands of those who want to make those laws that are in conflict with the BiH Constitution. The HJPC BiH is the culmination of our achievement and I cannot allow it to collapse. It is up to RS politicians to decide how they will act in the future. But the international community has returned, believing for years that things are getting better here which is why it was less active. I gave them (RS politicians) enough time. They had to count on me pulling a move like this. Bosnia and Herzegovina is sovereign and we will not allow it to be undermined from within. If the RS has issues it wants to change, it should go through the Parliament, but make unilateral mover,” the High Representative noted.

“I told them not to do it but they didn’t listen to me. And now they have consequences. In any case, the international community has returned.”

Speaking about the presentation of his regular report to the UN Security Council in 2022, after Russia prevented him from attending the last year’s session, Schmidt said he was ready to go to New York where he would speak to UK representatives and perhaps with the UN Secretary-General as well but he noted that he received quite a few signals that his address at the UN Security Council is desirable.