Schmidt to Leave Post After Nearly Five Years
The Office of the High Representative in Bosnia and Herzegovina confirmed that Christian Schmidt will leave the position of High Representative after almost five years in office. According to the reports, Schmidt made a personal decision to end his mandate under Annex 10 of the Dayton Peace Agreement and informed the Steering Board of the Peace Implementation Council about it. At the same time, he requested that the procedure for appointing a new High Representative be launched.
OHR stated that Schmidt will continue performing his duties until his successor is selected. The office also said that during his mandate, significant progress was made in strengthening the functionality of Bosnia and Herzegovina, but that key reform processes remain unfinished. OHR emphasized that its work remains essential because the country has still not implemented important reforms, and called on domestic political leaders to intensify reform efforts and European integration together with the next High Representative.
Italian Diplomat Presented as Possible Candidate
Several reports state that Italian diplomat Antonio Zanardi Landi is being considered as a possible new High Representative in Bosnia and Herzegovina. He is described as a former Italian ambassador in Belgrade and a diplomat with long international experience. The reports present him as one of the names currently discussed as a potential successor to Schmidt, although no final appointment has been confirmed.
Zanardi Landi has served since September 2, 2016, as ambassador of the Sovereign Military Order of Malta to the Holy See. Earlier in his career, from 2004 to 2006, he was Italy’s ambassador to the State Union of Serbia and Montenegro. From 2006 to 2007, he served as deputy secretary-general of the Italian Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Rome. From 2007 to 2010, he was Italy’s ambassador to the Holy See and the Sovereign Military Order of Malta.
From 2010 to 2013, Zanardi Landi served as ambassador to the Russian Federation and Turkmenistan. From the summer of 2013, he held the position of diplomatic adviser to the president of Italy. He was born in Udine in 1950 and graduated in law from the University of Padua.
Appointment Procedure Still Ahead
The reports stress that the process is still at the stage of discussion and selection. A successor has not yet formally taken office, and Schmidt remains in the post until the appointment procedure is completed. The potential choice of Zanardi Landi is being reported in the context of Schmidt’s announced departure and the need for the Peace Implementation Council to move toward selecting a new High Representative.
Overall, the reports present Schmidt’s departure as a major institutional change for Bosnia and Herzegovina, while Zanardi Landi’s name has emerged as the most prominent possible replacement mentioned so far. His diplomatic background, including experience in Serbia and Montenegro, Russia, the Vatican and the Italian presidency, is being highlighted as the main reason his name is attracting attention in discussions about the future leadership of OHR.
