The parliament of Republika Srpska, one of the two entities that make up Bosnia and Herzegovina, has adopted a declaration calling for the immediate abolition of the Office of the High Representative, the international body tasked with overseeing the civilian implementation of the Dayton Peace Agreement.
The declaration, proposed by Republika Srpska parliament speaker Nenad Stevandić, calls on the United Nations Security Council to adopt a resolution ending the mandate of the High Representative and closing the institution.
According to the document, the international community’s role in Bosnia and Herzegovina was intended to be temporary under the Dayton framework, but Republika Srpska lawmakers argue that those powers have expanded over the years, particularly through the so-called Bonn Powers. These powers allow the High Representative to impose laws and remove officials in Bosnia and Herzegovina.
The declaration also challenges the legitimacy of the current High Representative, Christian Schmidt, claiming that his appointment was not confirmed by the UN Security Council.
Republika Srpska officials are demanding that full authority be returned to domestic institutions in line with what they describe as the original Dayton Peace Agreement. The 1995 accord ended the war in Bosnia and Herzegovina and created a complex political system consisting of two entities: Republika Srpska and the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina, alongside shared state-level institutions.
The move is likely to further deepen political tensions in Bosnia and Herzegovina, where the role of the High Representative has long been a point of dispute between Bosnian Serb leaders and international officials.
