11/08/2012 OHR

High Representative submits report to UN Security Council

Bosnia and Herzegovina has made little progress towards Euro-Atlantic integration over the last six months and seen a significant increase in direct challenges to the Dayton Peace Agreement, High Representative Valentin Inzko wrote in his semi-annual report to the United Nations Security Council published this week.

The promising developments of early 2012 have stalled and political parties engaged in a protracted series of power struggles at all levels, Inzko reported. “Occurring against the backdrop of campaigning for local elections, these political maneuverings have taken precedence over the pressing needs of citizens and the country as a whole.”

At the same time, the leadership of the Republika Srpska has intensified its six-year policy of open and direct challenges to the fundamentals of the Peace Agreement. Statements by senior RS figures, as well as actions initiated by them to erode the competencies of the state, raise profound doubts about the commitment of the current RS leadership to the most fundamental aspect of Dayton – the sovereignty and territorial integrity of BiH, Inzko informed the UN Security Council.

With respect to the five objectives and two conditions set by the Peace Implementation Council, the authorities in BiH have done little to implement the outstanding requirements. The High Representative stressed that the suspension of the Supervision of Brcko District could constitute an important step toward fulfilling that objective, while a landmark ruling by the BiH Constitutional Court provided a legal precedent and outlined guiding principles for the resolution of the state and defence property objectives.

The High Representative will address the UN Security Council on Tuesday to present his report.

The full text of the High Representative’s report is available on the OHR website.