CVIJANOVIĆ CALLS FOR NEXT HIGH REPRESENTATIVE WITH LIMITED MANDATE

BANJA LUKA, MAY 25 /SRNA/ - The Serb member of the BiH Presidency Željka Cvijanović stated that the mandate of the next high representative in BiH, who should be the last one, must be limited not only in terms of powers but also in duration.

Cvijanović stressed that Republika Srpska wants all procedures to be respected in the appointment of the next high representative, who should have what she described as a transitional mandate.

"We are not dealing with names. The issue is which candidate can gather enough goodwill and wisdom from the international community so that this person can truly accomplish the priority task, which is the transfer of authority to domestic institutions", Cvijanović pointed out.

According to her, the period of using foreign mechanisms against Republika Srpska is coming to an end, as is the era in which foreigners impose laws instead of constitutionally authorized institutions.

"The time is also passing for what our colleagues in Sarajevo regularly did, which was usurping institutions that are, by nature, joint institutions", Cvijanović told RTRS.

Cvijanović said that foreign supervision had become something far beyond what was originally envisioned - a real monster and that in the future it would gradually fade away through a process that is accelerated but gradual.

"That means finally being able to stand on your own feet, to resolve unresolved issues, and where there were interventions without constitutional basis, to find ways to address them. I do not wish to comment on statements coming from political Sarajevo, where they want the OHR and Christian Schmidt to deal with us. That means they do not view BiH as a community of all peoples, but only from the perspective of preserving the state according to their own vision", she stated.

The Serb member of the Presidency repeated the position of the new US administration that an agreement among domestic leaders is needed in BiH, stressing that the United States believes there can be no sovereignty if a country does not govern its own processes independently and democratically.

"This US administration has been particularly guided by the awareness that BiH is trapped in a permanent crisis and that each of those crises was caused by unconstitutional interventions", Cvijanović said.

According to her, unlike the US administration, Bosniak politicians believe laws should continue to be imposed, Republika Srpska sanctioned, and disorder maintained in BiH.

"/Foreign Minister in the Council of Ministers Elmedin/ Konaković says politicians in BiH will not reach an agreement, which is why Bonn powers will again be used. There will be no use of Bonn powers for what political Sarajevo has become accustomed to over the past 28 years,” Cvijanović said, adding that Bosniak politicians are struggling to adapt to the new political circumstances.