Bosnia's future must be determined by its peoples, not foreigners, says Republika Srpska PM

BELGRADE, September 30. /TASS/. Bosnia and Herzegovina’s future should be determined by legitimate representatives of its peoples, not foreigners, Republika Srpska Prime Minister and ruling Alliance of Independent Social Democrats candidate for Republika Srpska president Savo Minic told TASS in an interview.

"We in Republika Srpska have long maintained that any agreement reached within the country is better than an imposed decision and that Bosnia and Herzegovina’s future should be determined by its peoples and their legitimately elected representatives, not foreigners," Minic said.

Under the constitution proposed in the General Framework Agreement for Peace in Bosnia (Dayton Agreement), Bosnia and Herzegovina consists of two entities: the Bosniak-Croat Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina (about 51% of the country’s territory) and Republika Srpska (about 49%), as well as the Brcko District. The country’s system of government proportionally represents its three main peoples: Bosniaks (Slavs who converted to Islam), Serbs (Orthodox Christians) and Croats (Catholics).

In 2021, German national Christian Schmidt was appointed as the High Representative in Bosnia and Herzegovina without the approval procedure in the UN Security Council. The Republika Srpska leadership, as well as Russia and China, did not recognize Schmidt’s legitimacy. On May 10, Schmidt announced his resignation, and former US Consul General in Vladivostok Louis Crishock will perform his duties until a new High Representative is appointed. The United States supports former Italian Ambassador to Russia Antonio Zanardi Landi, while Paris and Berlin back French diplomat Rene Trocaz.

At a July 14 meeting, members of the Peace Implementation Council Steering Board failed to reach a compromise on a candidate for the international post. The US Embassy in Sarajevo said Washington continues to insist on Landi’s appointment and is not considering other candidates for the position.

Russian Foreign Ministry Spokeswoman Maria Zakharova earlier said there were no legal grounds for the West’s attempts to present Crishock as the "acting High Representative" in Bosnia and Herzegovina.