In line with his mandate under the Dayton Peace Agreement, High Representative Valentin Inzko has presented his regular report to UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon outlining the status of peace implementation in Bosnia and Herzegovina for the period from 21 April 2014 to 21 October 2014.
The High Representative warned that regrettably Bosnia and Herzegovina’s downward trajectory has continued and that major difficulties have been caused by obstruction and ineffectiveness at different levels of government. The resulting social and economic hardship has been compounded by the catastrophic impact of the spring floods, which caused more than 2 billion Euros in damage.
The High Representative stressed that in order to address this situation “there will need to be a decisive break with the past and a new way of doing politics.”
Failure by the authorities to react effectively to the floods, continuing challenges to the Dayton settlement, and anti-democratic election rhetoric all raise serious concerns, the High Representative said in his report.
He said the continued presence of the EU military mission in Bosnia and Herzegovina with an executive mandate is vital as it enables the OHR and other agencies to fulfil their mandates, and it offers important reassurance to BiH citizens in every part of the country.
He noted that during the reporting period the authorities made no concrete progress on the objectives set by the Steering Board of the Peace Implementation Council; nor has an equitable and constitutional electoral system been established in Mostar.
On a more positive note, the High Representative noted that the participation of BiH Armed Forces units in peacekeeping operations around the world continues successfully, and that Bosnia and Herzegovina has moved towards assuming its air control responsibilities from neighbouring countries following agreement under the auspices of the European Organization for the Safety of Air Navigation (EUROCONTROL) to make the BiH Area Control Centre (BH ACC) operational.
The 46th report of the High Representative to the UN Secretary-General is available on the OHR website.
The High Representative will address the UN Security Council on 11 November 2014 to brief members of the United Nations Security Council directly on the situation in Bosnia and Herzegovina.