René Troccaz, France’s special envoy for the Western Balkans, recently held separate meetings in Dayton with the Serbian member of the Presidency of Bosnia and Herzegovina (BiH), Željka Cvijanović, and the Bosniak member, Denis Bećirović. The central topic of discussion was the so-called “non-paper”—a confidential diplomatic document co-authored by France—proposing measures related to BiH’s political future.
Željka Cvijanović condemned the non-paper, describing it as “unacceptable” and “detached from reality,” arguing it only fuels further destabilization in Bosnia and Herzegovina. She emphasized that the country’s future must be founded on the equality of all constituent peoples, as guaranteed by the BiH Constitution and the Dayton Agreement, and rejected any dominance of one nation over others.
Cvijanović further criticized attempts by Bosniak representatives to “privatize” common institutions, especially in foreign policy, which she claims have severely undermined interethnic trust. She warned against the interference of “unelected foreign officials” whose actions allegedly undermine domestic institutions and democratically elected representatives. She called on the European Union to support strengthening democratic governance across all levels of BiH authorities instead of tolerating such irregularities.
On the other hand, Denis Bećirović praised France’s proactive role in the Western Balkans, calling it crucial amid “brutal attacks” by the leadership of Republika Srpska (RS) against the constitutional order of BiH. He stressed the importance of French engagement not only in preserving peace but also in advancing BiH’s Euro-Atlantic integration, including NATO and EU membership aspirations.
Bećirović pointed out the necessity to respect binding Constitutional Court decisions, criticizing the RS National Assembly for failing to appoint Serbian judges to the Constitutional Court, an action he said obstructs the Court’s functioning and violates the BiH Constitution.
Both leaders expressed readiness to continue open political dialogue and enhance bilateral cooperation, emphasizing the shared goals of BiH’s European future, regional stability, and security in the Western Balkans.
The meetings took place during the international conference marking the 30th anniversary of the Dayton Peace Agreement.
