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SARAJEVO, December 8 (FENA) - Political directors of member states of the Peace Implementation Council (PIC) discussed the political situation in Bosnia and Herzegovina over the past two days in Sarajevo, reiterating their commitment to territorial sovereignty and integrity of BiH.
In addition to members of the PIC Steering Board, the meeting was also attended by the Special Envoy of the President of the United States for the Western Balkans, Gabriel Escobar, who is visiting Bosnia and Herzegovina.
The High Representative of the International Community in BiH, Christian Schmidt, stated at a press conference the basic issues discussed by the political directors, emphasizing that all attempts to endanger the functioning of state institutions or reduce their competencies were condemned.
"This affects the stability, which is why such behavior will have consequences, and the commitment to all measures has been expressed and there are several options on the table. Measures such as conditionality of financial support and other things related to economic consequences were highlighted," said Schmidt.
Political directors underlined that BiH is a sovereign state consisting of two entities and the Brcko District, which are a constitutional part of the state and function on the basis of the BiH Constitution, which, according to Schmidt, is common knowledge, but should be reminded because many forget it.
He reiterated that the entity of Republika Srpska does not have the legal authority to unilaterally withdraw from the constitutional order of BiH, and this situation threatens economic growth because investors doubt stability due to the political situation.
He announced that he would talk to all political officials and that he would call on the state parliament to pass a law sanctioning denials of genocide, war crimes and glorification of war criminals because these are international standards.
"It is not the right to politicize such an issue. I understand that some have the impression that the imposed changes to the Criminal Code are lenient towards one side, but that is not true because the victims cannot be viewed through the lens of ethnicity, they are all victims," Schmidt underlined.
If such a law were passed in parliament, then the imposed amendments to the Criminal Code would be amended again, but that is one way, says Schmidt, emphasizing that politics should not be introduced in talks about victims because resolving this issue would help future generations of BiH.
Asked whether he has a free hand to act when it comes to passing the law of the National Assembly of Republika Srpska on withdrawal from state institutions, such as the law on the Entity Agency for Medicines, he reiterated that certain issues will be resolved.
With journalists noting that financial conditioning could affect only citizens, but not responsible politicians, Schmidt said that individual sanctions are being considered, and those against whom they would be imposed can already assume who they are.
He called in the end for solving problems in Bosnia and Herzegovina, although, he says, sometimes there is a feeling that individuals do not want to solve problems. But he emphasizes that he is ready for negotiations and the continuation of talks.
(FENA) S. R.
