The European Union High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy, Kaja Kallas, stated in Sarajevo that the time has come to end international oversight in Bosnia and Herzegovina.
She added that this can only happen once the country has the necessary capacities to make decisions independently.
Kallas is on an official visit to Bosnia and Herzegovina on Monday, during which she visited the Butmir camp near Sarajevo, where members of the EU Mission for Peace, EUFOR, are stationed.
EUFOR has a mandate to use force if the “safe and stable environment is seriously threatened” or if “existing security structures are at risk of collapse.”
Kallas noted that recent events in the National Assembly of the Republika Srpska present a new opportunity to ease political tensions.
“Free and fair elections can restore citizens’ trust in local authorities. The people of Bosnia and Herzegovina deserve a chance for stability and the opportunity to breathe freely,” Kallas said.
On October 18, the National Assembly of the Republika Srpska adopted a law repealing laws that had previously been declared unconstitutional by the Constitutional Court of Bosnia and Herzegovina.
These include the Law on Immovable Property used for the functioning of public authorities, the Law on Non-Implementation of Constitutional Court Decisions, the Electoral Law of Republika Srpska, the Law prohibiting activities of extra-constitutional institutions, the Law on Amendments to the Criminal Code of Republika Srpska, and the Law on the High Judicial and Prosecutorial Council of Republika Srpska.
Kallas stated that the European Union responded to threats against the constitutional order of Bosnia and Herzegovina in March by reinforcing EU forces in the country.
She also referred to the extension of EUFOR’s mandate on October 31, approved by the UN Security Council.
“The world has recognized that they make Bosnia and Herzegovina safe, and that the EU has done everything from Dayton until today to ensure the country’s security,” she added.
Kallas also spoke about the Reform Program adopted by the Council of Ministers of Bosnia and Herzegovina, which is expected to secure over one billion euros for the country from the EU’s Growth Plan.
Bosnia and Herzegovina was the only country in the region to delay approval of this document for almost two years. Due to this delay, the initially planned amount of one billion euros was reduced by 108.5 million.
