“The demonstrations of the past few weeks have happened for a clear reason, and they should be an alarm bell – loud and clear. The priority must be to address socio-economic and political reforms. Advancing Bosnia and Herzegovina on the Euro-Atlantic agenda will also bring further reforms with long-term benefits for all citizens.”
The High Representative commended “an active citizenry” for meeting in plenums and directing their expectations for change at the right address: the institutions. “This is a significant step forward for democracy in Bosnia and Herzegovina, and politicians should not turn a deaf ear to the clear demands of the protesters in an election year.”
Regretting that elected officials had for far too long focused on their personal and party interests and pursued mainly ethnic agendas without much consideration given to the country and the concrete needs of the citizens, the High Representative called on them to engage with their voters. “It is time for politicians to remember that public office is a privilege, not a right, and that they have a direct obligation to the citizens who elected them, and not to the parties who placed them on the electoral lists.”