YouSaid · the spoken record

Inzko

lines on the record: 398
first: 2009-05-28
most recent: 2019-11-05
sittings or episodes: 22
sources: un-security-council

Every line below is reproduced as it was said and linked to the record it came from. Nothing here is summarised or generated. Directory · Search · Corrections

“From the point of View of my mandate to uphold the Peace Agreement, I welcome the fact that the authorities of Republika Srpska have not taken further steps to implement a referendum on the authority of the State Court and the Prosecutor's Office and on the authorities of the High Representative, as that would be a clear violation of the Peace Agreement. That step is indeed welcome. My current assessment is that although the referendum has still has not been officially withdrawn, it does appear to have been put aside. I must note, however, that various political actors have continued to advocate the organization of yet another entity referendum on the validity of a recent decision of the Constitutional Court of Bosnia and Herzegovina.”
2016-05-05 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7688 (2016) · source
“Associated with this, the authorities have also taken steps to implement a reform agenda, including the adoption of new labour legislation in both entities. In this context, I would like to praise the significant efforts of the European Union Special Representative in Bosnia and Herzegovina, Mr. Lars-Gunnar Wigemark. He has really gone the extra mile. While the progress achieved by the authorities on the reform agenda is indeed very welcome, let us not lose sight of the need to accelerate the pace of reform. There must be much more urgency in the decision-making process.”
2016-05-05 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7688 (2016) · source
“Of course, transition is a process and not a event, and the transformation that the country must undergo on the path to membership will make the people of Bosnia and Herzegovina better off. Accordingly, we are fully united in supporting the country in its European Union (EU) aspirations. What lies ahead for Bosnia and Herzegovina will undoubtedly be a challenging period, but it is one the country can navigate if all parties work together and fully respect the Dayton Peace Agreement. As I stress in my report (8/2016/395, annex), developments on the ground over the past six months have been mixed. It remains unclear at what point we can say Bosnia and Herzegovina is irreversibly on course for Euro-Atlantic integration. On the positive side, as I mentioned, the country submitted its membership application with the European Union.”
2016-05-05 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7688 (2016) · source
“Mr. Inzko: When I addressed the Council six months ago (see S/PV.7555), we were on the eve of the twentieth anniversary of the Dayton Peace Agreement. That was an opportunity to mark how far Bosnia and Herzegovina had come, but also to recognize that there was much more work needed to ensure lasting stability and a better future for the people of that beautiful country. The signifance of that event was also underlined by an important conference held in Dayton, Ohio, in which former United States President Clinton, one of the peacemakers 20 years ago, participated. Against that backdrop, on 15 February the country took the historic step of applying for membership in the European Union. Bosnia and Herzegovina chose its direction clearly, and that direction is a future in the European Union.”
2016-05-05 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7688 (2016) · source
“The twentieth anniversary of the Dayton Peace Agreement should remind the international community and the leaders of Bosnia and Herzegovina ofjust how far the country has come, and how much more can be achieved if we reinvigorate our commitment to a peaceful and prosperous Bosnia and Herzegovina in the interest of all of its peoples, its neighbours and the whole of Europe.”
2015-11-10 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7555 (2015) · source
“The first is to continue to assist the country in maintaining and accelerating the positive momentum that the initiative of Minister for Foreign Affairs Steinmeier of Germany and Secretary of State Hammond of the United Kingdom - which is now an EU initiative - has been helping the local authorities to build in recent months. That momentum has to be maintained. The second is that we must stand up together to real challenges to the peace agreement, such as the referendum initiative. The drawing of borders in Bosnia and Herzegovina is behind us. No matter how hard some may try, division and secession are failed strategies that were defeated 20 years ago.”
2015-11-10 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7555 (2015) · source
“Unlike what some suggested the last time I was here, this has not been forced on the people of Bosnia and Herzegovina. It is a choice they have made themselves. To the authorities in Bosnia and Herzegovina, my message is this - a sincere and genuine offer is on the table from the European Union that provides a chance for a secure, prosperous and dignified life for current and future generations. This offer of the European Union must be seized with both hands. For international policymakers, I would highlight two things we need to do in order to ensure success in Bosnia and Herzegovina.”
2015-11-10 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7555 (2015) · source
“In this regard, I would like to commend the unprecedented moves made by Serbian Prime Minister Aleksandar Vueic' in pursuit of genuine regional and ethnic reconciliation. Indeed, tomorrow Prime Minister Vucie will, in a welcome development, visit Srebrenica for the second time this year. Twenty years after our mission to bring lasting peace to Bosnia and Herzegovina began, there is no doubt we have come a very long way. Huge progress has been made. However, we can conclude with equal certainty that we have not yet completed the job. The future for Bosnia and Herzegovina is the European Union - not because 1 say so, but because this is what the democratically elected authorities of Bosnia and Herzegovina have consistently set out as their primary objective.”
2015-11-10 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7555 (2015) · source
“Some of the reforms will be difficult, but they will deliver new opportunities for the country and its people. The challenge for Bosnia and Herzegovina is not just one of what needs to be done; it is also a challenge of how things are done. Twenty years after Dayton, there is no denying the fact that the country all too often suffers from division. This is why it is so important that the country get back to advancing reforms in a way that fosters reconciliation and reintegration. Bosnia and Herzegovina desperately needs to come together and to work for a common purpose. In this respect, I would like to commend some of the gesture politics displayed by the State Presidency and Council of Ministers, which have been so warmly welcomed by ordinary people. This is the positive leadership citizens want to see and we need to see much more of it.”
2015-11-10 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7555 (2015) · source
“It would also risk undermining the efforts to improve the socio- economic situation of all Bosnia and Herzegovina citizens and to make further progress in EU integration." The decision of the Republika Srpska National Assembly has yet to be published and to enter into force. There is still an opportunity to rectify this breach of the Peace Agreement, and I expect the Republika Srpska authorities to step back from the brink and put the referendum aside. So where does the reform effort in Bosnia and Herzegovina stand right now, just over a year after the latest general elections? The fairest description is to say that that this is the end of the beginning. The next few months will be critical because they will reveal whether the authorities are committed to delivering on their own reform agendas.”
2015-11-10 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7555 (2015) · source
“Since then we have been confronted with a more immediate and official challenge to the Peace Agreement and the long-term progress we are all so eager see. I am referring to the decision by the Republika Srpska Parliament in July to organize a referendum on whether the Republika Srpska authorities need to respect the authority and decisions of the country's central judicial institutions, as well as decisions taken by High Representatives to implement the Peace Agreement. The 28 members of the European Council said clearly in their 12 October conclusions that: "The holding of such a referendum would challenge the cohesion, sovereignty and territorial integrity of Bosnia and Herzegovina.”
2015-11-10 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7555 (2015) · source
“Given these positive developments, reflecting a genuine commitment to getting the country back on track, it is difficult to understand how, in parallel, we have seen some politicians determined to challenge the Peace Agreement and destabilize the situation in the country. In my last statement to the Security Council, I raised my concern about the adoption by the ruling party of the Republika Srpska of a declaration that threatened to hold an independence referendum in 2018. While it is only a party document that has no official value, I am nevertheless concerned by its threat to hold an independence referendum by a specified time. As I have made clear repeatedly, the Peace Agreement does not grant the Entities the right to secede, and any attempt to change the Peace Agreement requires the agreement of all three parties.”
2015-11-10 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7555 (2015) · source
“Under the astute guidance of EU Special Representative Ambassador Lars-Gunnar Wigemark, we have also seen some more concrete initial results to implement the reform agenda, the most notable of which was the adoption of a new labour law by the Federation authorities. A border treaty has been signed with Montenegro, which is an achievement of genuine regional significance. I very much hope that similar treaties can finally be signed with Bosnia and Herzegovina's other neighbours. And just last week, we saw a long-awaited joint session in Sarajevo of the Governments of the Republic of Serbia, under Prime Minister Vucic', and Bosnia and Herzegovina, under the Chairman of the Council of Ministers, Mr. Zvizdic'. This was a first common between the two Governments of Serbia and Bosnia and Herzegovina.”
2015-11-10 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7555 (2015) · source
“The period since my last briefing (see S/PV.7440) has seen some decidedly positive developments, as members will have seen from my latest report (8/2015/841, annex), as well as some serious difficulties, including those highlighted in the special report I submitted on 4 September. First, let me stress the positives, of which there have been several. A written commitment with the European Union (EU) was signed and adopted by the Bosnia and Herzegovina authorities in February, opening the way for the Stabilization and Association Agreement with the EU to enter into force on 1 June. State and Entity authorities adopted ambitious and coordinated reform agendas in the social and economic spheres, which was a major step forward.”
2015-11-10 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7555 (2015) · source
“This will not be easy, but it is absolutely necessary because the problems Bosnia and Herzegovina faces today are deep-rooted and systemic, reflecting the complex bureaucracy, the weaknesses in the economy and, to be frank, the vested interests some political leaders and State-run enterprises have in a dysfunctional status quo. What is necessary is to implement a programme of serious political, social and economic reforms that will improve functionality, attract investment and create jobs. If this is done, the international community - through the International Monetary Fund, the World Bank and others - stands ready to provide generous assistance to help the country get through a challenging period.”
2015-11-10 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7555 (2015) · source
“However, over the past 10 years, the country has not been moving in the right direction. This has been a disappointment not only for the international community, but most of all for the citizens of Bosnia and Herzegovina. As we enter the third decade of the peace process, we need to raise our expectations and once again see concrete results and positive momentum. I believe that major progress will be possible in the next 10 years if we see two basic ingredients: first, the political will to deliver substantial reforms to take the country forward, and secondly, an unwavering commitment to fully respect the Peace Agreement.”
2015-11-10 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7555 (2015) · source
“Three armies and three Ministries of Defence that had fought each other were brought together under State control and a single Ministry of Defence; a single intelligence service was created to the highest European standards; a unified customs service was created and is working effectively; a single currency and a single indirect taxation system were established, which underpin the State's finances; and free, generally fair and peaceful elections had become the norm. In 2005, Bosnia and Herzegovina stood as perhaps the best example of what the wider international community can achieve when it is united in its commitment to a peace effort. There may be a need to do this again elsewhere in the world, and it is worth remembering how successful we were in Bosnia and Herzegovina when we were truly united and committed.”
2015-11-10 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7555 (2015) · source
“So allow me to briefly recap what was achieved, primarily during the first 10 years after the war, when Bosnia and Herzegovina was the shining star of post-conflict peacebuilding and reintegration. Freedom of movement was established; a million refugees reclaimed their homes, for the first time ever after such a brutal conflict; the State Government was reinforced; the economy was stabilized; and the State judiciary was established.”
2015-11-10 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7555 (2015) · source
“Mr. Inzko: I should like to express my pleasure that good people such as Ambassador Rycroft - who was present in Dayton 20 years ago - remain engaged in our common effort to take Bosnia and Herzegovina from war to lasting peace. On 21 November, we will mark the twentieth anniversary of the Dayton Peace Accords, the peace treaty that brought Europe's most brutal war since the Second World War, to an end. As a seemingly endless column of migrants and refugees makes it way through the Western Balkans, we are reminded of the human tragedy of war and ofjust how priceless peace is. The peace that Dayton brought was hard won, and it must never be taken for granted, but instead cherished and consolidated. Anniversaries provide us with an opportunity to reflect on what has been achieved and to take stock of what remains to be done.”
2015-11-10 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7555 (2015) · source
“I must add, however, that the international community's support for the Office of the High Representative is in fact waning, and it is becoming increasingly difficult for me to fulfil my mandate. Now is not the time for us to lose focus or resolve, and I ask for the Council's full support as we help Bosnia and Herzegovina to move along the path towards the EU. Let us do all we can in the next six months to help these peoples to seize the opportunity the country has been given by the EU so that 2015 is remembered as the year Bosnia and Herzegovina turned decisively to the future. I hope that this is what we will achieve so that we can mark the twentieth anniversary of the Peace Agreement with a sense of genuine optimism about the future. This is what I hope to report to the Council when I return in November, six months from now.”
2015-05-12 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7440 (2015) · source
“The expanding force of forward-looking people in Bosnia and Herzegovina is growing stronger by the day, and what a positive force it is as it crosses ethnic and religious lines and re-energizes the people of Bosnia and Herzegovina to work together to build a better tomorrow. As an aside, I should like to inform the Council that two Muslims are currently building and renovating a Catholic Church in Bosnia and Herzegovina. Such interreligious dialogue for a better tomorrow is also a fact that we should not forget. We, the international community, are dutybound to recognize the importance of this moment. We must do all we can to help the forces of positive change in the country to reach their surge capacity.”
2015-05-12 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7440 (2015) · source
“They must have our full and proactive support in the months ahead. The drawing of borders in Bosnia and Herzegovina is behind us. Division and secession are failed strategies that were defeated 20 years ago. Their place is in the history books; God forbid that anyone should seek to reactivate these dangerous strategies. If they do, they will need to be dealt with firmly and decisively. In this respect, I will continue to take my responsibilities under the Peace Agreement with the utmost seriousness. As more and more people in Bosnia and Herzegovina, the region and indeed beyond now fully understand, the future of that part of Europe is reintegration from within and integration with the wider continent. This is the era not of division, but of renewed bridge-building.”
2015-05-12 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7440 (2015) · source
“This is the moment when the country needs to finally say farewell to the politics of the past and to decisively commit to a new way of doing politics that puts the interests of citizens firmly in first place. This is truly the time for Bosnia and Herzegovina to come together and to work as one. I very much hope that the visit of the Pope to Sarajevo in June Will help to foster a sense of unity in the country. I cannot stress strongly enough that this opportunity must be taken. If we see hard work and results in the weeks and months ahead, then we will be able to look forward with real optimism when we come together to mark the twentieth anniversary of the Peace Agreement in November. There are politicians and people in Bosnia and Herzegovina who want to work together in good faith to take the country forward.”
2015-05-12 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7440 (2015) · source
“The response of the authorities was swift, and it will be important for us to see ever-closer cooperation between authorities at all levels, inside the country and in the region, in tackling a wide range of law enforcement challenges facing the country, including the ongoing fight against terrorism, which as we know is a global change. To conclude my remarks today, an opportunity is on the table from the EU that offers the people of Bosnia and Herzegovina a chance to ensure a prosperous and dignified life for themselves and their children. This is the time for the country's politicians to decisively look to the future in the interests of the people of Bosnia and Herzegovina, especially the young.”
2015-05-12 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7440 (2015) · source
“While it is only a party document that has no official value, I am nevertheless concerned by its threat to hold an independence referendum in Republika Srpska in 2018. The problem has a name - it is "referendum" - and it has a date: 2018. As I have made clear repeatedly, the Peace Agreement does not grant the entities the right to secede, and any attempt to change the Peace Agreement requires the agreement of all the parties. A week after I submitted my report, Bosnia and Herzegovina was rocked by a shocking incident, when a lone attacker killed one police officer and injured two others at a police station. I take this opportunity to again offer my condolences to the family of the police officer who lost his life in the line of duty. I also wish a speedy recovery to the two injured police officers.”
2015-05-12 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7440 (2015) · source
“The alternative for the country's politicians is to continue practicing the politics of the past that have been driving the country ever deeper into crisis at the expense of all its citizens, especially the young. I must be frank - there are some politicians who may be tempted to follow this negative and dangerous path. As I have made clear in my report (S/2015/300, annex), there have also been negative developments over the past six months that include direct challenges to the Peace Agreement. Ofparticular concern is the declaration adopted by the National Assembly of the Republika Srpska on 17 April, which directly challenges the authority of the Bosnia and Herzegovina Constitutional Court. A second example is the declaration of the ruling party in the Republika Srpska of 25 April.”
2015-05-12 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7440 (2015) · source
“A new Special Representative of the European Union, Ambassador Lars-Gunnar Wigemark, has recently joined us in Sarajevo, and I would like to take this opportunity to welcome him warmly and to once again express my strong commitment to working hand-in-glove with him to assist those citizens and politicians who want to move the country forward. The initiative offers Bosnia and Herzegovina the chance to end years of stagnation and to get the country back on track towards the brighter future we all want for its people. However, we need to recognize that there are no guaranteed outcomes. Is there an alternative? Of course there is. That alternative is to continue doing what we have seen over and over again.”
2015-05-12 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7440 (2015) · source
“I would therefore like to take this opportunity to sincerely thank Foreign Secretary Philip Hammond and Foreign Minister Frank-Walter Steinmeier for launching the initiative that has given Bosnia and Herzegovina this fresh chance. I also want to thank High Representative Mogherini and Commissioner Hahn for taking the initiative forward. High Representative Mogherini has already been to Bosnia and Herzegovina three times. Commissioner Hahn Visited Bosnia and Herzegovina just last week and again showed his commitment to that country.”
2015-05-12 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7440 (2015) · source
“However, progress will require concrete results to be delivered. Some of the reforms will be very difficult, but they will deliver new opportunities for the country and its people. Specifically, we need to see concrete results that will create new jobs, improve the functioning and functionality of institutions, and entrench the rule of law, especially when it comes to the fight against crime and corruption. I believe that a great deal can be achieved in 2015 if there is a renewed commitment within the country and among its political leaders to pulling together and to working together - to working as one. This is what we need to see and we need to see it quickly so that the new Governments can build up real momentum for reform. Bosnia and Herzegovina has been given a fresh chance and it must be taken.”
2015-05-12 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7440 (2015) · source
“What needs to happen in the next six months so that we can mark the twentieth anniversary with a sense of renewed optimism about the future and, even more importantly, so that we can re-energize the people of Bosnia and Herzegovina? The answer is very simple. We need to see the newly elected authorities in Bosnia and Herzegovina - and the country in general - coming together to deliver the steps that are required to take advantage of the new European Union (EU) initiative for Bosnia and Herzegovina. The good news is that we now have Governments in place at the State and entity levels that are showing signs that they are ready to start implementing the written commitment that was adopted in March and has opened the way for the Stabilization and Association Agreement with the EU to enter into force.”
2015-05-12 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7440 (2015) · source
“But it is a starting point, not the end state. It is entirely right that after 20 years the people of Bosnia and Herzegovina - especially the young - expect so much more from their country and their politicians. They are suffering from the highest youth unemployment rate in Europe and many of them are leaving the country. They are right to expect more because Bosnia and Herzegovina truly does have the potential to offer its citizens prosperity and a normal way of life. I take this opportunity to encourage members of the Security Council to Visit that beautiful land to see for themselves its spectacular landscapes and its rich cultural diversity.”
2015-05-12 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7440 (2015) · source
“Mr. Inzko: In six months' time, when I next appear before the Security Council, Bosnia and Herzegovina will be marking the twentieth anniversary of the Dayton Peace Accords. At the beginning of July, we will also be marking the twentieth anniversary of the Srebrenica genocide. Much has been achieved since that all-important day in November 1995 when Richard Holbrooke finally succeeded in brokering an agreement to end Europe's most tragic conflict since the end of the Second World War. Bosnia and Herzegovina has come a long way since then, but it is also true that what happens during the next six months will play a hugely significant role in determining how the twentieth anniversary of Dayton will be Viewed by the people of Bosnia and Herzegovina. Peace is, ofcourse, a priceless commodity. It should never be taken for granted.”
2015-05-12 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7440 (2015) · source
“As I witnessed personally two days ago at the moving ceremony marking the fall of the Berlin Wall, this is a future ofbuilding a better tomorrow - not of dividing, but of coming together.”
2014-11-11 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7308 (2014) · source
“This is a time to reaffirm our commitment to a united and reintegrated Bosnia and Herzegovina and to be more united than ever as we seek to support the delivery of the deep and sometimes painful changes that are required for the country to be functional, stable and prosperous. Those politicians and people who want to work together in good faith to take the country forward will have our full and active support. Similarly, those who seek to advocate division and secession must finally understand that the drawing of borders in Bosnia and Herzegovina is behind us. The future is not about dividing people. It is about coming together to build a better tomorrow.”
2014-11-11 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7308 (2014) · source
“I address Council members today not only as the High Representative, but also as a true friend of Bosnia and Herzegovina who wants the best for its people. I am aware that I have been blunt today, but there are times when the best thing you can do for a friend is to speak frankly. And this is just such a time. Those political leaders who choose to enter Government in the coming weeks must now change their ways, and they must once and for all break the vicious downward cycle of spiteful tit-for-tat politics that has led us to this point. Just as Bosnians and Herzegovinans must raise their game, so must the international community, because ourjob in Bosnia and Herzegovina has clearly not been completed.”
2014-11-11 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7308 (2014) · source
“I hope, therefore, that we will see the incoming authorities doing what is needed to get Bosnia and Herzegovina back on track quickly. Is there an alternative to this? Yes, there is. The political leaders can go on doing what they have been doing over the last eight years. If that is what they decide to do, they must know that there Will almost certainly be consequences and none of us will be able to claim that we have not been warned. The February demonstrations were a clear wake-up call for the political establishment in Bosnia and Herzegovina, but also for the international community. While nobody can predict exactly when there will be another public backlash if the politics of the last eight years continues, it will be just a matter of time before it occurrs. That is in no one's interest.”
2014-11-11 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7308 (2014) · source
“I am appalled that some leaders still insult the intelligence of their own citizens, believing that talk of secession, division and hatred will hide their own failures to deliver a better life for people. While they pursue a long-term strategy to drive the country into the ground in order to justify breaking the country apart - with all the risks that such a strategy entails - young people are getting older without the educational and professional opportunities that living in a functional country would provide. As the calls for a referendum on secession have been repeated time and time again in recent months, I have had to respond by reminding people of the facts: the entities do not have the right to secede under the Peace Agreement. I would like to make that clear once more: there will be no redrawing of borders.”
2014-11-11 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7308 (2014) · source
“Similarly, the effort that has been put into blocking progress on issues, especially at the State level, must now be directed at delivering the healthy compromises needed to move the country forward. I expect, therefore, to see a marked improvement in the performance of State institutions in the next four years. Next, there must be a recommitment to the rule of law and the fight against corruption. Words are not enough. We need to see hard results. Many verdicts of the Bosnia and Herzegovina Constitutional Court, which are "final and binding" under the terms of the Peace Agreement, remain unimplemented. They must now be implemented, including the decision on Mostar. That town's citizens must regain the basic right to elect their local officials. Finally, challenges to Dayton and the sovereignty of the State must stop.”
2014-11-11 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7308 (2014) · source
“In that regard, I welcome the initiative announced last week by the United Kingdom and Germany to define a road map of reform to strengthen Bosnia and Herzegovina's institutions and accelerate the country's progress towards the EU. I cannot stress strongly enough - it is vitally important that the incoming authorities seize this new opportunity. From the parties that ran in the recent elections, the first thing that we need to see now is the speedy formation of Governments in a manner that is in accordance with the law, unlike What we saw in 2010. I have also challenged the authorities to appoint more women and to seek out ministerial candidates and other appointees who have the expertise, in particular in economies, to deliver the progress that is required. That can easily be done if there is a minimum of political will.”
2014-11-11 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7308 (2014) · source
“What do we need to see in Bosnia and Herzegovina in the days and weeks and months ahead to move in that direction? Overall, we expect the needs of citizens to be tackled head-on and for the country to be put back on track for Euro-Atlantic integration, the declared strategic objective of Bosnia and Herzegovina. Steps need to be taken urgently by the incoming authorities to overhaul the business environment so that new jobs can be created in the private sector. Let me take this opportunity to say once again that I fully support the European Union's Compact for Growth initiative. Progress on Euro-Atlantic integration has to be unblocked.”
2014-11-11 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7308 (2014) · source
“The integration of the region, including Bosnia and Herzegovina, into the European Union is about so much more than prosperity and raising standards. It is about healing the wounds of the past and enabling the peoples of the region to once again live together with their compatriots Without borders. That is certainly my great wish for the peoples of the region, and I know it is shared by many. Political leaders should have no doubt whatsoever that business as usual simply will not be acceptable. We have expectations, and we expect to see complacency replaced with a sense ofurgency. The citizens ofBosnia and Herzegovina and the international community are in full unity on one very simply point: we expect a fundamental change in the way that politics is conducted. Such a change of approach is absolutely possible.”
2014-11-11 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7308 (2014) · source
“Clearly, therefore, the elections are not just another round of general elections in Bosnia and Herzegovina. The elections are about a decisive four- year period ahead for all of Bosnia and Herzegovina's citizens, regardless of their ethnicity or in which part of the country they live. There must now be a fundamental change - the interests of the country and its citizens must be put before those ofthe privileged political class. The good news is that we have a chance to turn a new page. The start of a new mandate provides us with a timely opportunity to start afresh, a chance that cannot be wasted, to take major strides towards the lasting peace and stability that come With Euro-Atlantic integration.”
2014-11-11 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7308 (2014) · source
“Regrettably, the parties, officials and institutions governing the country at various levels have not responded to the country's problems with the same spontaneous urgency and creativity with which everyday people responded to the floods. That is why Bosnia and Herzegovina has been on a downward trajectory since 2006. Eight years is a long time for any country to be going the wrong way. Not surprisingly, there is a plentiful supply of disillusionment, anger and frustration. That is particularly worrying among the youth, for whom unemployment levels are above 57 per cent, among the highest rates of unemployment for young people in Europe. Those young people - the future of the country - have been particularly let down. The situation is not good, and it must be tackled head-on.”
2014-11-11 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7308 (2014) · source
“As if all that were not enough, only a few months earlier we witnessed close to 1 million people being affected by tragic and catastrophic floods, the like of which cannot be recalled in Bosnia and Herzegovina. In that regard, I must pause for a moment to acknowledge the tremendous role played by the United Nations and its representatives on the ground in terms of coordination and information-sharing throughout the course of the flood relief efforts. The scenes I saw when I Visited flood victims, days after the heavy rains that swept across the country, were truly shocking. However, a ray of hope in the disaster was the instinctive readiness of local communities and thousands of ordinary people to help each other regardless of ethnicity.”
2014-11-11 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7308 (2014) · source
“Mr. Inzko: A month ago the citizens of Bosnia and Herzegovina went to the polls for their seventh post- war general elections. They did so just one year before the twentieth anniversary of the signing of the Dayton Peace Agreement and against the background of ever deepening stagnation and socioeconomic hardship. Whether one reads my report (S/2014/777, annex), or the latest progress report of the European Union (EU) or the reporting of Bosnian non-governmental organizations monitoring the performance of the Government * there are quite a few reports out - one will nevertheless see that the results of the last four years fell way short of the mark.”
2014-11-11 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7308 (2014) · source
“That means supporting those within the country who are ready to work together to reach the healthy compromises that are necessary to take the country forward. It means that we must stand firm against those who seek to sow division and disintegration. And it also means that we re-examine our approach while preserving the tools that have ensured the peace, including the European Union military mission with an executive mandate. Bosnia and Herzegovina has come a long way since 1995, but there is still some way to go. Let us make sure that we continue to give the country the support it still needs to complete its long journey to lasting peace and stability.”
2014-05-15 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7176 (2014) · source
“With that in mind, let me take this opportunity to express my very strong support for the robust policy direction laid out by the Foreign Ministers of the European Union in their conclusions of 14 April, which I have already mentioned. I should also like to highlight the excellent cooperation and coordination that exists between European Union Representative Peter Sorensen and me, as well as between our offices on the ground. Clearly, our job in Bosnia and Herzegovina is not yet complete. This is the time to reaffirm our vision of a united and reintegrated Bosnia and Herzegovina that is the lynchpin of a peaceful and prosperous region. This is the time to regroup and to recalibrate our approach. This is the time to stand together united in support of the values and principles I spoke about at the beginning of my statement.”
2014-05-15 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7176 (2014) · source
“The demonstrations we have seen are a clear wake-up call for the political establishment in Bosnia and Herzegovina, but also for the international community. As one of my predecessors pointed out recently, ifwe go on doing what we are doing we will go on getting what we are getting. After the next elections, therefore, there is going to have to be a fundamental change in the way politics is conducted in Bosnia and Herzegovina so as to focus on the needs of all citizens, not just on the appetites of a chosen few. Similarly, the international community's approach Will need to evolve, and it must do more to factor in the specificities of Bosnia and Herzegovina's history, its post-war settlement and the risks to its future stability.”
2014-05-15 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7176 (2014) · source
“It is especially important that no one be discriminated against on the basis of ethnicity or because they are returnees. I am similarly concerned that the election campaign will once again be dominated by attempts to raise inter-ethnic tensions as a means to divert attention from the real problems facing the country. What Bosnia and Herzegovina badly needs to see in the forthcoming election campaign is a frank, robust and action-oriented public debate on how rampant corruption, exceedingly high unemployment and, of course, the lack of progress on Euro-Atlantic integration are going to be urgently overcome by the incoming Government after the elections. We need to hear more about plans to reform the economy and create jobs, which are in the vital interests of all citizens ofthe country regardless of ethnic group.”
2014-05-15 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7176 (2014) · source
“In this election year, it is especially important that the growth in activism continue in the form of greater participation in all aspects of the election process, from the selection of candidates to discussions of concrete issues to voting on election day. We are now less than five months from the next general elections, which I believe will be the most hotly contested elections since the Dayton Peace Agreement was signed in 1995. I cannot hide my concern about the challenges that face us before election day. I am particularly concerned that in the coming months the ongoing controversy over residency and voting rights could lead to disputes on the ground, especially in municipalities across the Republika Srpska. That is a scenario that all involved must do everything in their power to avoid.”
2014-05-15 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7176 (2014) · source