On Friday, the United States warned it would “reconsider” its role in Bosnia and Herzegovina following the Peace Implementation Council’s (PIC) failure to elect a new High Representative, a key position for overseeing the Dayton Agreement that ended the war in 1995.
RELATED:
Bosnia to Participate in Investigations for the Sarajevo Safari
German Christian Schmidt resigned in May, and Washington had backed the candidacy of Italian Antonio Zanardi Landi, who supported by Secretary of State Marco Rubio. However, a lack of European consensus blocked his appointment.
The U.S. embassy in Sarajevo criticized “European indecisiveness” and indicated that the PIC’s failure to fulfill its responsibility compels the U.S. to reconsider its role in Bosnia.
According to regional media, Schmidt’s departure was not entirely voluntary, as Washington pushed for his removal to install a successor more aligned with its strategic priorities in the Balkans.
The European Union responded that its priority is to find, in cooperation with the U.S., a “unifying figure.” France led the bloc that opposed Landi and proposed diplomat Rene Troccaz, envoy for the Western Balkans, as a “pro-European” candidate.
Bosnian Serbs and Bosnian Croats support the elimination of the High Representative’s post and agree with the U.S. proposal, while Bosnian Muslims and the central authorities in Sarajevo back the French and EU position of maintaining their powers until integration into the European bloc.
The High Representative has the power to impose laws and dismiss officials, making them a central figure in ensuring institutional stability in Bosnia.
Consultations to choose Schmidt’s successor will continue until the end of June, at a time when Bosnia faces internal pressures from nationalism and external pressures from rivalry between powers.
