Bosnia and Herzegovina’s Presidency member Zeljka Cvijanovic addressed the United Nations Security Council session, on Tuesday evening, via video link in which she stated a number of unfounded claims regarding the Dayton Peace Agreement, High Representative in BiH Christian Schmidt and the international community.

“I want to say a few words about the Republika Srpska (RS) entity and the position of institutions that are often misrepresented. Republika Srpska does not violate international law or the Dayton Agreement. The Constitution of Bosnia and Herzegovina guarantees that all three ethnicities have a protection mechanism. Therefore, High Representatives must be appointed according to the procedures of Annex 10 of the Dayton Agreement and they should act according to their competencies. The RS does not violate international law, it advocates that the Constitution be respected and that constitutional rights are not abused, as is the case with the Resolution on Srebrenica. The preparation of this resolution for the vote at the UN General Assembly is being done without any prior consultation and approval by the relevant and competent institutions of Bosnia and Herzegovina”, she stated, and then added:

“Republika Srpska is steadfast in its position that only our democratically elected institutions have the right to enact laws and that laws cannot and must not be imposed by unelected foreign citizens. Republika Srpska is committed to peace and stability and wants to see Bosnia and Herzegovina as a truly democratic and sovereign state capable of promoting internal dialogue in search of balanced, constitutionally based solutions that would suit everyone in Bosnia and Herzegovina. Unfortunately, the challenges we have been facing in recent years threaten not only the Constitution of Bosnia and Herzegovina, but also the security and stability of the country, and even the entire Western Balkans region. Those who persistently keep Bosnia and Herzegovina in the status of a quasi-protectorate, where the rule of law and democratic management are bypassed, and autocratic/colonialist foreign interventions prevent reconciliation between our peoples, directly contribute to these threats.”

She pointed out that Christian Schmidt has an increasing tendency to interfere in democratic processes in Bosnia and Herzegovina.

“In fact, the High Representatives interfered with their actions in the internal democratic processes and the agreement of the elected and legitimate representatives of the constituent peoples and entities of BiH. The High Representatives, mostly on the side of the Bosniak aspirations for a centralized state, violated the essential provisions of the Dayton Agreement, which provide for the protection and equality of the constituent peoples, thereby threatening peace and security in BiH. Some foreign diplomats in BiH and Christian Schmidt, who poses as a kind of hybrid of a “colonial governor” and a typical despot, continuously and with an increasingly destructive tendency, interfere in internal democratic and decision-making processes within BiH,” she said.

She stated that the proposed Resolution on Srebrenica before the UN General Assembly is a clear demonstration of the violation of the constitution.

The Presidency member pointed out that some members of the UN believe that this resolution is benign and that it represents an act of human compassion.

“However, it is clear that the intention behind it is anything but benign. Professor Francis Boyle, the legal adviser of Bosniak political leaders, last Friday, April 26, in an interview with a Sarajevo TV network, said that after the adoption of the resolution in the UN General Assembly, all the so-called “pro-Bosnian forces” must unite to use this for the abolition of Republika Srpska. This dangerous statement, unfortunately, reflects the prevailing intention of many Bosniak political leaders and clearly shows that the proposed resolution is destabilizing for peace and stability in BiH. While the officials of the Republika Srpska talk about the necessity of preserving peace and stability and solving all open political issues in democratic institutions, the Western ambassadors in Sarajevo are trying to instil fear in the Serbs with certain threats and militaristic statements while at the same time, they give hope to some radical forces in the Bosniak political elite that NATO will “solve” the “problematic” Republika Srpska by abolishing it,” Cvijanovic stated.

She pointed out that this is particularly dangerous and irresponsible citing unfounded reports that “BiH has been labelled as the most dangerous source of jihadist terrorism in Europe for many years in foreign media and international security reports.”

She pointed out that the rule of law is at the centre of the European integration process, and that representatives of the EU and EU member states constantly stress the importance of its respect, but only mildly reprimand Schmidt for constantly violating the same rule of law.

she said that the rule of law is also under attack from threats and international sanctions by the governments of the United States of America and Great Britain.

“Threats and sanctions are used to intimidate elected and other officials, their families, private businesses, and even the media. Any leader who refuses to comply with Schmidt or anyone who refuses to accept illegal subversions of the Dayton Agreement is attacked openly and relentlessly and becomes the target of sanctions. These sanctions are imposed without due process, that is, without any formal indictment, without even appearing before a judge or court, even for a minute. Banks have been forced to close accounts and refuse service to these individuals, while they have not been formally charged with any crime. This behaviour is often seen in the sphere of organized crime and in no way resembles the behaviour of democratic states that support the international legal order or the rule of law,” said Cvijanovic.

“Such behaviour, without a doubt, represents a threat to peace and stability in Bosnia and Herzegovina. In addition to the aforementioned violations of the Dayton Agreement, international law, the Constitution of BiH and the rule of law, efforts continue to deny voters in BiH their rights. With the latest decision, Schmidt imposed changes to the Election Law in BiH, which is a clear attempt to intervene in the elections and manipulate the results of the upcoming local elections”, Cvijanovic noted, among other things.