STORY
The UK has warned that Bosnia and Herzegovina’s future must not be held back by divisive politics, as it raised concerns about threats to democracy, the rule of law and the Dayton Peace Agreement.
Speaking at the UN Security Council, Ambassador James Kariuki, the UK Chargé d’Affaires to the UN, said the UK remained “deeply concerned” by the political situation in Bosnia and Herzegovina. He said some political actors were continuing to obstruct legislative activity, abuse constitutional safeguards and stall progress on Euro-Atlantic integration.
The UK also raised concerns about recent elections in Republika Srpska, which it said had been marked by significant electoral fraud. Kariuki said international support remained vital while democracy and the rule of law were under attack, and backed the rollout of election technology as a way to reduce fraud and rebuild public confidence.
Kariuki said the UK continued to support a fully empowered High Representative as the cornerstone of civilian implementation of the Dayton Peace Agreement. He thanked High Representative Christian Schmidt for his work and said the Peace Implementation Council would now take forward the selection of a successor.
The UK statement also criticised rhetoric that stokes ethnic and religious tension, including calls for secession or the creation of a third entity. Kariuki said such rhetoric was anti-Dayton and risked peace and stability, urging politicians in Bosnia and Herzegovina to respect the country’s sovereignty, territorial integrity and constitutional order.