The High Representative and the Head of the OSCE Mission to BiH issued the following statement on 24 April:
“We have read the concerns of the Students Union of the Mostarsko Sveuciliste, and would like to give them this guarantee: their university will not be threatened by the education reforms now underway. Indeed, we are firmly convinced that these reforms will help it become a genuine European university whose qualifications are recognized throughout Europe.
We know some will still not be reassured by this. So we can give the students this further promise: if anyone seeks to try to abuse the education reform process by attempting to undermine their university, we will take action to prevent it.
We ask only this: that you respect the Bologna and Lisbon Convention standards that are necessary for your university to be accepted throughout Europe. These standards do not mean that you will have to suppress your national identity. Quite the contrary. One of modern Europe’s greatest strengths is that it protects and fosters our different national cultures while promoting reconciliation and cooperation between those nations.
In short, these standards support the right of your university to use the Croatian language and teach Croatian culture and identity, but within a framework that is open to and respects the other national identities in BiH.
It is necessary to have the right safeguards to prevent your university, and its right to promote the national identity of constituent peoples, from being undermined. Europe stands for tolerance and common standards. But, it also stands for the protection of national identities and cultural diversity.”