Tensions in Bosnia and Herzegovina have recently surged, marking what a senior UN official today described to the Security Council as "an extraordinary crisis" - the most serious since the Dayton Agreement ended the war in the country almost 30 years ago.
"The extraordinary crisis currently facing Bosnia and Herzegovina stems from severe attacks by the Republika Srpska ruling coalition on the Dayton peace agreement," Christian Schmidt, the Secretary-General's High Representative for Bosnia and Herzegovina, told the 15-member organ. These attacks target the constitutional and legal order of Bosnia and Herzegovina and threaten peace and stability both within the country and across the region.
This sudden deterioration was triggered by reactions to the first-instance verdict of the Court of Bosnia and Herzegovina, which convicted the President of the Republika Srpska entity, Milorad Dodik, he went on to say. In response, Mr. Dodik escalated his attacks on the constitutional order by directing Republika Srpska authorities to adopt legislation effectively banning State-level judiciary and law enforcement within the entity. He also introduced a draft entity constitution, hinting at de facto secession.
This draft constitution - a document of considerable complexity - was unveiled shortly after the verdict. The speed with which it, along with the draft laws, was published strongly suggests they had been prepared well in advance. "For one, these acts and this legislation fundamentally contradict the implementation of the Dayton peace agreement and its annexes," he said.
These actions endanger the territorial and societal integrity of the country by performing secessionist acts, Mr. Schmidt said. Furthermore, they create legal and executive uncertainty by establishing entity-level laws and institutions that contradict and compete with State-level authority.
As a result, the State-level coalition has been seriously affected, progress towards European Union accession has stalled, the functionality of the State is being undermined and critical reforms have been sidelined. "This development is not irreversible, but it is severe," he added.
"Daily life in Bosnia and Herzegovina is not getting easier," he continued, noting that, for the most part, communities there do not support extremism or secessionism. However, there is ample evidence in daily life that ethnocentric politics continues to divide communities rather than unite them. Discrimination remains a deeply rooted and complex issue affecting various groups.
The protection extended to all citizens of Bosnia and Herzegovina must be safeguarded and discrimination must be eliminated from the current constitutional framework. Moving forward requires acknowledging that Dayton and the European Union reform agenda are mutually reinforcing. "Everybody in Bosnia and Herzegovina must understand that no individual stands above the law," he added.
The General Framework Agreement for Peace in Bosnia and Herzegovina, endorsed by the UN Security Council 30 years ago, remains the cornerstone for Bosnia and Herzegovina's sovereignty, territorial integrity and political independence, he said. Any attempt to reopen or redefine it risks undermining peace and prosperity in the country. Ultimately, the focus must be on strengthening institutional stability, improving State functionality and reinforcing election integrity ahead of the country's general elections in 2026.
Before the High Representative took the floor, the delegate of the Russian Federation objected to Mr. Schmidt's participation in the Council, stating that the organ had not endorsed him in this capacity. Therefore, in the absence of the required Security Council mandate, the position of Special Representative remains vacant, he asserted. He went on to accuse Mr. Schmidt of actively working to destabilize the situation in Bosnia and Herzegovina.
In the ensuing discussion, many Member States expressed firm support for the sovereignty and territorial integrity of Bosnia and Herzegovina, categorically rejected the secessionist rhetoric, expressed alarm at the significant rise of tensions stemming from rhetoric and actions by Republika Srpska entity authorities and overwhelmingly expressed support to the Dayton Agreement.
France's delegate said that 30 years after the signing of the Peace Agreement, the unity of Bosnia and Herzegovina is threatened, its territorial integrity is under attack and "the constitutional order established in 1995 is facing unprecedented and unilateral challenges". Stressing that the European path for Bosnia and Herzegovina requires respect for the rule of law, public freedoms and civil society, he urged Republika Srpska leaders "not to embark on the path to separation". Slovenia's delegate said that the preservation of Bosnia and Herzegovina's democratic character is fundamental to its future, condemning all actions that undermine the country's political order and threaten its territorial integrity. "We must maintain a zero tolerance for such behaviour," he said.
"We've watched recent events in Bosnia and Herzegovina with concern," added the representative of the United States, urging political leaders to de-escalate and avoid actions that could lead to instability. The United States firmly opposes succession and destabilizing rhetoric, he said, expressing support for Bosnia and Herzegovina's territorial integrity, sovereignty and multiethnic character. He recognized the importance of the Office of the High Representative in supporting implementation of the civilian aspects of the Dayton Agreement.
"2025 marks 30 years since the signing of the Dayton peace agreement that ended the horrific war in Bosnia and Herzegovina," Denmark's delegate recalled, expressing hope that "this year's anniversary should be seized to reflect on past achievements and to look forward on how to accelerate progress". The representatives of Sierra Leone and Guyana also expressed support for the Dayton Agreement, with the former speaker warning that any actions that weaken implementation of the accord "put the citizens of Bosnia and Herzegovina at risk of instability".
"Dayton is one of the successes of this Council," added Karen Pierce, Special Envoy of the United Kingdom to the Western Balkans, noting that it stopped a war - the worst Europe had seen since the end of the Second World War. "One day, Bosnia and Herzegovina will be able to graduate from the Council's attentions and take its place as a normal and full member of Europe." The High Representative is mandated by the Dayton accord as the final authority on the civilian implementation of the Dayton Agreement, she noted, stressing that the powers he is using have been backed by the Council.
China's delegate said that "one major cause of the current tense situation is the High Representative's frequent invocation of the so-called 'Bonn Powers'". This has led to an "increasingly difficult political situation", and he pointed out that the Council has not endorsed the High Representative's appointment. Stressing that both the High Representative and the Bonn Powers granted to his Office are "special arrangements for special times", he said that the international community must respect the sovereignty, independence and territorial integrity of Bosnia and Herzegovina - as well as the "independent choice of its people for the future of the country".
The representative of the Russian Federation pointed to "dogged attempts to recast [Bosnia and Herzegovina] from a decentralized into a unitary State by reducing the broad powers and rights of the three constituent peoples and the two entities". The "self-styled, so-called High Representative", with the "outright connivance of his Western backers" continues to "unapologetically interfere" in that country's internal affairs. Further, the High Representative is "trying to cut off the oxygen" to political parties in the Republika Srpska, he said, adding: "We cannot but conclude that Mr. Schmidt has set himself the objective of strangling all that is Serbian in [Bosnia and Herzegovina]."
The international community should be celebrating the thirtieth anniversary of the end of the war in Bosnia and Herzegovina but is instead "witnessing increasing political deterioration", said Algeria's delegate. "The region's tragic history serves as a stark reminder that national, racial and religious hatred, discord and intolerance can trigger horrific violence," warned Pakistan's delegate, urging all political actors to exercise prudence, act responsibly and eschew the use of narrative that seeks to sow interethnic and interreligious discord.
Panama's delegate said that with recent events having "shed light on a dangerous resurgence of divisive narratives", it is "imperative to avoid greater fragmentation of the social fabric". "While the region's painful past remains vivid, it must not define its future," added the representative of the Republic of Korea, expressing support for Bosnia and Herzegovina's European Union integration process and for EUFOR-ALTHEA, a pillar of regional stability.
Other speakers also welcomed Bosnia and Herzegovina's path towards European integration, with the representative of Somalia emphasizing that the advancement of that goal "demonstrates the potential for positive transformation and offers a foundation for continued cooperation". Greece's delegate, Council President for May, spoke in his national capacity to recall the declaration agreed upon in Thessaloniki during the European Union-Western Balkans Summit held in that city in 2003. That agreement, he said, "laid the key principles of the European integration process, based on a shared European vision of fundamental values".
The head of the delegation of the European Union to the United Nations expressed concern about legislation in the Republika Srpska entity that runs counter to the European Union path of Bosnia and Herzegovina. Expressing its support to the mission of the High Representative and his Office towards fulfilling the 5+2 Agenda, he urged all political actors to renew Bosnia and Herzegovina's focus on progressing on the European Union path, taking resolute actions to implement the necessary reforms.
The representative of Croatia, while welcoming the High Representative's work, said that his latest report "would have benefitted from a more-balanced treatment of the conduct of all political actors". This is especially true for those actions aimed against the political status of Croats, he said - "the most underrepresented and vulnerable of the three constituent peoples". He added: "Electoral reform is not a peripheral issue - it is a cornerstone of a just and stable democracy and of any lasting national compromise."
The representative of Serbia said that, in the complex environment of Bosnia and Herzegovina, "neither ethnic outvoting nor external imposition of decisions can provide sustainable solutions". He also stated that "it is our understanding" that the Republika Srpska "does not advocate secession, but the preservation of the Dayton Agreement". However, he stressed that the High Representative's imposition of decisions is neither in line with his mandate under that accord nor universal democratic principles. "Equally inconsistent with these principles is the attempt to eliminate democratically elected representatives of Republika Srpska from the political life of Bosnia and Herzegovina by misusing the judicial authorities for political purposes," he added.
Željka Cvijanović, Chairperson of the Presidency of Bosnia and Herzegovina, also speaking in her capacity as the Serb member of the tripartite Presidency, recalled that "the Dayton Agreement was not a perfect solution", but "an act of courageous diplomacy that balanced three peoples and two entities in one State". Arguing that this balance is being undermined, she said that Mr. Schmidt was not confirmed by the Security Council as required by Annex 10 of the agreement. She noted that Mr. Schmidt unlawfully overstepped his mandate by, among others, imposing a Government in the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina, changing the electoral law, extending the mandate of the election commission without legal basis, criminalizing political dissent through amendments to the criminal code and cutting funding to elected parties in Republika Srpska.
She demanded a return to the legal foundations of the Dayton Agreement and asserted that Republika Srpska's actions are lawful responses to unlawful foreign interference - not separatism. She therefore appealed to the Council to hold a formal vote on the High Representative's confirmation. "If he cannot pass the vote, find a candidate who can," she demanded, urging the Council to also launch a legal review of the Bonn Powers - a set of extraordinary executive authorities given to the High Representative.
