The administrative and territorial structure of Bosnia and Herzegovina is clear, as is the status of Brčko District in line with the Final Award and Amendment I to the BiH Constitution. The State and both entities have made lasting legal commitments under the Dayton Peace Agreement and the Brčko Arbitration Final Award.
Provoking debate on this subject is pointless and a distraction when the focus should be the development of Brčko itself. The Principal Deputy High Representative and Brčko Supervisor Jonathan Mennuti recalls local officials’ commitment outlined in their joint statement from December 2021 to work together on advancing Brčko’s progress and not allowing the District to be used in political disputes or brinkmanship on any level.
Likewise, it is the obligation of the entities and the State level to facilitate Brčko’s progress. According to the Final Award, the entities are obligated to support Brčko’s unique status, thus the District must not be instrumentalized in either political actions or rhetoric.
The successful implementation of the Final Award and the completion of the Arbitration Tribunal’s work depends on the entities’ full compliance with these commitments and the successful, uninterrupted, and independent functioning of the District’s institutions. The Supervisor and the Presiding Arbiter shall continue to closely monitor all developments in this regard.