US Blames ‘European Divisions’ for Failure to Elect Bosnia High Representative

German flag flies in front of European Commission flags. Photo: EPA/OLIVIER MATTHYS.

The United States has voiced frustration over the failure of the Peace Implementation Council, PIC, to agree on a successor to High Representative Christian Schmidt, warning that this could force Washington to reconsider its role in Bosnia and Herzegovina’s international supervision.

A statement posted by the US Embassy in Sarajevo 16 minutes after midnight on Friday, said it had expected the PIC Steering Board meeting on June 3-4 to select a new High Representative following Schmidt’s sudden resignation on May 11.

The Steering Board failed to reach agreement during its two-day meeting in Sarajevo after two candidates emerged as frontrunners: Italian diplomat Antonio Zanardi Landi, backed by Italy and the United States, and French diplomat Rene Troccaz, supported by France, Germany and the UK.

“The United States takes note of the European failure to reach consensus around a European candidate and is disappointed these divisions prevented the PIC from fulfilling its task to elect a new High Representative,” the statement said.

It added that “European indecisiveness” and the PIC’s failure to carry out its responsibilities were forcing Washington to reconsider its role in the current international presence in Bosnia.

According to local media reports, talks among PIC members continued for hours both before and during the meeting but failed to produce a compromise. As a result, Schmidt will remain in office while consultations continue, with a new attempt to reach consensus expected later this month.

The unusually sharp US criticism highlights growing disagreements among Bosnia’s Western partners over the future of the Office of the High Representative, OHR, the institution tasked with overseeing the 1995 Dayton Peace Agreement that ended Bosnia’s 1992-5 war.

The High Representative is tasked with monitoring implementation of the agreement, coordinating international civilian efforts and ensuring that Bosnia’s institutions comply with the peace framework. The High Representative is appointed by the Peace Implementation Council. Since 1997, the role has included the so-called “Bonn Powers”, which allow him to impose laws and dismiss officials deemed to be obstructing the peace process.

Since taking office, Schmidt has used those powers extensively, including making changes to electoral law on election night in October 2022, suspending the Federation entity constitution for 24 hours in order for a new government to be appointed, and amending the criminal code.