Mr. High Representative, your mission has finally moved to an adequate
working space. Earlier this is where the front line between those who
defended and those who attacked the city was. With your arrival in this
country, it has become the highest political watchtower. How does
Bosnia-Herzegovina look from this perspective, at the beginning its fifth
peaceful autumn?
My view of the country is mixed. Much has been achieved. There is freedom
of movement. There is no longer a frontline here, although the modest
monument to Suada Dilberovic on the bridge next to the office is a
reminder of the terrible things that took place here. We have seen a real
increase in refugee returns. But it does not add up to enough. The return
process could be faster. The country is in desperate need of serious
economic reform. The BiH state needs to function like a state if it is to
take its rightful place in Europe. Unfortunately, many of the country's
leaders don't appear to see the same urgency that I do in all these areas.
BiH has yet to win the peace.
You come from Austria, a country which in 1878 - which was maybe the
moment of greatest exhaustion in the last century - colonised Bosnia, on
the basis of its international mandate. Many Bosnians point out an analogy
on that basis. Do you see such analogies as appropriate?
That I'm an Austrian here a century after Habsburg rule has something
serendipitous about it, I grant. But my work is entirely different.
Neither do I represent Austria here, nor an imperialist power. I represent
the International Community, and the International Community does not plan
to stay in BiH. Indeed its financial commitment is already declining
significantly. The International Community is here to oversee the
implementation of the Dayton Accords, and help BiH become a prosperous
lawful country. It should also not be forgotten that Dayton was signed by
all parties involved in the conflict, that means we are here at their
invitation.
In the past five years ambitious political and substantial financial
investments have been directed into this country. Are the results adequate
to the investments?
Major reconstruction has been completed in BiH, reconstruction worth over
five billion dollars, with which the infrastructure - roads, bridges,
power, water, electricity - has been rebuilt. One could say that the
hardware of BiH, if it were a computer, has been fixed. What we now need
is the appropriate software, and this is reforms in the economic field.
Reforms that will create a business-friendly environment here, attract
investment and thereby create growth and jobs. But I worry there's a
dependency culture here, that the politicians have gotten used to the aid
and are reluctant to implement these much need reforms. International aid
is, I repeat, declining. The Federation parliament's decision to raise
pensions last week without any money to pay for them is an example of the
kind of thinking that has to be overcome. BiH's leaders are in danger of
losing all the gains made so far with international aid. BiH has to stand
on its own two feet.
Politically seen, Bosnia has walked an important part of the road toward
democratisation. However, people still hunt for jobs without success, and
many live below the bare level of survival. Do you see a possibility for a
faster economic recovery?
The people of BiH could make a start by voting in November for politicians
who are serious about economic reform, who are willing to take the country
out of its state-controlled past to a market economy. The road is sketched
out - one doesn't need to be a magician to know how to create an
environment attractive to investors. Just read the Declaration of the
recent meeting of the Peace Implementation Council, and you'll know what
needs to be done. Individual citizens also have to make a commitment to
economic reform -- it is their business ideas and plans that will make
BiH's economic future, they just need the government to create an
environment that will enable them to implement their ideas. By having
voting powers, BiH citizens own the process here. If BiH citizens want
business opportunities and stability, if they see rule of law and if they
are able to plan their future, then I think there is no reason why the
economy can't recover.
In that sense, can we expect an economic strategy of the international
community in Bosnia which would have more initiative and be more
effective?
There already is a strategy. As a matter of fact, it was adopted by the
Peace Implementation Council at its recent meeting in Brussels. Now it is
up to BiH officials and citizens to implement it and build the economy.
The days of centrally planned economies are over, and the authorities need
to pass many laws and build institutions that will turn BiH into a place
that is attractive for investment and business.
I will only mention the most important elements of what is
necessary: closure of the payment bureaux - establishment of a sound
banking system - tax reform with the goal of broadening the base and
lowering the rates - lower utility fees - reform of the social systems and
labour legislation - resolution of the land titles issue - privatisation
of strategic enterprises aimed at attracting investors that will
restructure the companies and make them profitable - creation of a single
economic space with a country-wide harmonised approach to taxes,
competition, public procurement, financial services, standards and
regulations, banking, public utilities, electric power, telecommunications
and transport - elimination of corruption - simplification of bureaucracy.
One doesn't need to be a wizard to see why this is important. If you
were a businessman, you would not want to have to chase hundreds of
permissions, pay outrageous phone and electricity bills, huge taxes, work
through the cumbersome payment system, pay bribes to get things done, be
uncertain whether something you buy will remain yours, etc.
But I am afraid that the officials running this country don't see
the need for all these reforms. They behave irresponsibly. Look at the
mess with the pensions: instead of adopting the absolutely necessary
amendments to the Pensions Law, the Federation Parliament rejects them,
risks losing 150 million dollars in funding from international
institutions, and increases pensions without having any money to finance
this increase! This is irresponsible.
The attitude of the local representatives toward the international
community ranges from rejection, through more or less hidden obstructions,
to full cooperation. Do you think that ethnicity as the basis for the
approach and reaction of B-H political forces has been overcome?
The war cut many deep scars here and I think it would be unrealistic to
think people will forget their differences -- real or imagined -- in a
hurry. But I think the results from municipal elections in April were a
very positive sign that BiH citizens are starting to vote on other issues
and no longer fall for empty nationalist rhetoric. This is really one of
the keys to BiH's future, the exclusivist, nationalist mindset must be
overcome if BiH is to integrate with Europe. Switzerland, a country where
three different languages are spoken, is a good example of how this can be
done. The future lies in the hands of the voters, and they decide whether
they elect politicians who are against reforms and an improvement of the
situation, or politicians who will truly act in the interests of the
citizens.
How do you assess SDA's criticisms of some moves of the representatives of
the international community: do they originate from electoral
calculations, or are they an attempt to define a new political identity of
the SDA?
I am bound to meet opposition and criticism in all my work here, and as it
happens, I am encouraged by the fact that I am critised by all sides on a
regular basis. It shows me that I am on the right path.
I would not like to speak for the SDA on its election strategy --
you should ask them. I am looking for greater co-operation from all
leaders in BiH but I am frequently disappointed by their apparent lack of
interest in building a stable future for the citizens that elected them.
Do you believe that the international community has a principled position
toward all forces within the political situation in this country, or do
you simply continue to pressure those that are most yielding?
I work to make sure the Dayton Accords are implemented -- nothing more.
All groups here in BiH -- Bosniaks, Serbs, Croats and others -- are
treated equally. I don't look at the ethnicity o a given area, I look
instead at what's going on there. If a town's leadership has a poor record
on refugee returns, if an official abuses his office, if an official works
against progress and the overall improvement of the situation in BiH, I
judge it on that basis -- and on none other.
Of course, those who are affected by my moves always claim they are
innocent and that my moves are not justified. But that's human nature. I
wouldn't expect them to tell me: Thank you Mr Petritsch for removing this
member of our party, he was a bad man. If they thought that, they would
have removed him themselves.
What will you, for example, undertake against Prime Minister Dodik and
other politicians from the RS, in case they continue posing obstacles for
the reconstruction of the Ferhadija mosque in Banja Luka?
I have travelled to Banja Luka and met all concerned with this issue. The
Ferhadija mosque will be rebuilt. Full stop.
Recently one distinguished Croatian intellectual (Professor Ivo Banac)
claimed that the names of criminals who prevent return of Bosniaks to
Stolac by means of organised crime are known. However, there has been no
effective counteraction. Who is to blame for that?
Stolac has a very bad record with regard to crime and return. The fight
against crime is clearly the responsibility of the Cantonal Ministry of
the Interior, and I am extremely disappointed that they have not taken any
action yet, despite all the alleged ongoing criminal activities in Stolac.
This certainly doesn't reflect well on the willingness of the authorities
to establish the rule of law in that area. But it must be said that not
only Bosniaks, but also the Croats residing in Stolac suffer from this
lack of lawfulness. Re returns and in particular property law
implementation, the situation has slightly improved after I removed the
old mayor of Stolac last November. However, I am far from being satisfied.
There have been returns of displaced Bosniaks and Serbs to destroyed
properties and remote areas and a few decisions to such destroyed
properties have been issued, but that's the easy part. I'm looking to the
local authorities to start evicting double occupants and the like from
homes which do not belong to them. We are watching the municipality very
closely.
It is believed that in the history of this country no one has had so much
legitimate power as you do. Do you feel uneasy because of your own
mandate, which, in some aspects, is even above the Constitution, or in
other words, how do you carry the burden of responsibility for the outcome
of the project of new Bosnia?
Let me be perfectly clear. The International Community's involvement is
not colonial rule. The International Community has a clear and limited
aim: to implement the Dayton Peace Accords and help BiH become a stable,
prosperous, democratic and lawful country and take its place in the
European family of countries. We have to impose some laws and remove
officials who are anti-Dayton. This is what I am tasked to do by the Peace
Implementation Council, the organisation of 55 countries and agencies that
I must answer to. My powers are strong because they need to be to uphold
rule of law. But I believe passionately that it is BiH citizens who own
the peace process. Every intervention or removal is thought out and
debated very carefully and of course feel disheartened at times that I
have to use these powers. But adherence to the Dayton Accords is essential
if the individual rights of all BiH citizens are to be protected.
On several occasions the local public has noticed an arrogant,
anti-democratic conduct of individual representatives of the international
community, so as if saying: if the facts do not correspond to our
decisions, than the facts are wrong. Does the OHR analyse the work and
assess the political conduct of its officials?
No decision is taken without careful deliberation and consultation within
the OHR and the International Community, and no OHR official acts on its
own, so of course we know what each of us is doing.
As I said earlier, we weigh each of our decisions extremely
carefully. I think what you are perhaps alluding to here is my removal of
Mr Ahmed Smajic, the former minister for Agriculture, Forestry and Water
Resources. Mr Smajic argued hard against the decision. But preparations
for his removal were thorough and evidence-based. He was not serving the
citizens of BiH. Mr Smajic, in his defence, got his facts wrong. We did
not. I notice the Federation government has now nominated a successor so I
hope we can now press on with urgently needed reform of the agriculture
sector.
Do you, as the High Representative, know that in the local authorities of
Sarajevo there is a lot of fear from the international community, which
issues decisions as a deus ex machina? Local officials carry out all that
they are ordered to without a word, in the fear of losing their job and
being stigmatised, which is what happens to those who are removed. Will
you change something about that?
The International Community does not issue decisions deus ex machina as
I've said before. Much debate and deliberation goes into each of them, and
let me clear: Officials who respect the rule of law have nothing to fear.
But if officials are anti-Dayton, if they don't implement the laws of this
country and meet their obligations, they have something to fear -- as is
the case in any democratic state. Having said that, I am not happy when I
have to impose laws or remove officials, and I am looking forward to the
day when BiH will have responsible officials who will pass important
legislation on their own, and an independent judiciary that will control
and prosecute officials who don't do their jobs.
Do you have more faith in the sustainability of Bosnia-Herzegovina today
than you did when you first took your office in this country?
At times I find the slow pace at which returns and economic reform is now
taking place immensely frustrating. But I think there has been a real
change in thinking here in the last year, that rule of law is something
real and tangible and no longer an abstract notion. And I was encouraged
by the municipal election results this year in which moderate parties made
an encouraging showing. I think we can see now the first shoots of real
change in BiH.
How do you personally feel in Sarajevo? What do you like, and what do you
dislike - in the appearance of the city and the behaviour of its citizens?
Sarajevo is a wonderful city and the people are incredibly hospitable,
and, as a matter of fact, so is the whole country. I like to get out into
the city as much as possible with my family -- in the parks or wandering
through Bacarsija. My wife and I have enjoyed concerts and films so I feel
very at home here. I really am an honoured guest here in Sarajevo.
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