Post by radovic on Jun 16, 2008 14:54:21 GMT -5
'US Stopped' Sacking of Bosnian Serb PM
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Christian Schwartz Schilling16 June 2008 Sarajevo _ A former Bosnia's top international envoy admitted he wanted to sack Bosnian Serb leader Milorad Dodik but was stopped by US diplomats.
In an interview for Sarajevo daily Dnevni Avaz published on June 15, the previous head of the Office of the High Representative, OHR, Christian Schwartz Schilling gave a rare insight into the international community’s relations and power struggles – which are usually kept well behind closed doors.
A veteran German diplomat, Schwartz Schilling held the position of Bosnia’s top envoy between January 2006 and July 2007. This period was marked by strong radical and secessionist rhetoric used by the premier of the smaller Bosnian entity of Republika Srpska, Milorad Dodik as a part of his pre-election campaign ahead of October 2006 general elections.
During and after his mandate, Schwartz Schilling was criticised by the Bosnian public for what was perceived as his inactive and hands-off approach.
When Dodik’s rhetoric spread to country’s state institutions and raised tensions across the country, Schilling said he decided it was time to use the OHR’s broad governing powers and sack Dodik from his position.
Schwartz Schilling said after another surge in Dodik’s radical rhetoric in November 2006, he convened a meeting with top US and European Union representatives in the country.
However when he laid out his plan, which included sacking Dodik, he was told by Americans that they “do not support that.” Schwartz Schilling added that the EU also told him “not to make waves” until the status of Kosovo is not resolved.
"We are disappointed that Mr. Schwartz Schilling has decided to place responsibility for his actions or lack of thereof, on others,” the United States Embassy in Sarajevo told Balkan Insight.
“The High Representative retains both the authority and responsibility for the exercise of the Bonn powers. We have no further comments on his allegations,” the statement added.
Many international officials have testified in the past that Americans supported Dodik ever since 1998, when they saw him as a key tool against the ruling nationalist Serb Democratic Party, SDS. They maintained their support even after the local judiciary wanted to try Dodik for corruption and the misuse of public funds as well as after Dodik’s rhetoric became much more radical than that used by the SDS.
If he had proceeded with his plan without international support, “the OHR would have fallen apart,” said Schwartz Schilling in the interview.
He added that the current High Representative, Miroslav Lajcak, had been “left alone” and without international support after in late 2007 he imposed changes in the decision-making process in the state government.
Only thanks to Lajcak’s “persistence” the situation was resolved and Lajcak’s decisions were partially implemented, he added.
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Christian Schwartz Schilling16 June 2008 Sarajevo _ A former Bosnia's top international envoy admitted he wanted to sack Bosnian Serb leader Milorad Dodik but was stopped by US diplomats.
In an interview for Sarajevo daily Dnevni Avaz published on June 15, the previous head of the Office of the High Representative, OHR, Christian Schwartz Schilling gave a rare insight into the international community’s relations and power struggles – which are usually kept well behind closed doors.
A veteran German diplomat, Schwartz Schilling held the position of Bosnia’s top envoy between January 2006 and July 2007. This period was marked by strong radical and secessionist rhetoric used by the premier of the smaller Bosnian entity of Republika Srpska, Milorad Dodik as a part of his pre-election campaign ahead of October 2006 general elections.
During and after his mandate, Schwartz Schilling was criticised by the Bosnian public for what was perceived as his inactive and hands-off approach.
When Dodik’s rhetoric spread to country’s state institutions and raised tensions across the country, Schilling said he decided it was time to use the OHR’s broad governing powers and sack Dodik from his position.
Schwartz Schilling said after another surge in Dodik’s radical rhetoric in November 2006, he convened a meeting with top US and European Union representatives in the country.
However when he laid out his plan, which included sacking Dodik, he was told by Americans that they “do not support that.” Schwartz Schilling added that the EU also told him “not to make waves” until the status of Kosovo is not resolved.
"We are disappointed that Mr. Schwartz Schilling has decided to place responsibility for his actions or lack of thereof, on others,” the United States Embassy in Sarajevo told Balkan Insight.
“The High Representative retains both the authority and responsibility for the exercise of the Bonn powers. We have no further comments on his allegations,” the statement added.
Many international officials have testified in the past that Americans supported Dodik ever since 1998, when they saw him as a key tool against the ruling nationalist Serb Democratic Party, SDS. They maintained their support even after the local judiciary wanted to try Dodik for corruption and the misuse of public funds as well as after Dodik’s rhetoric became much more radical than that used by the SDS.
If he had proceeded with his plan without international support, “the OHR would have fallen apart,” said Schwartz Schilling in the interview.
He added that the current High Representative, Miroslav Lajcak, had been “left alone” and without international support after in late 2007 he imposed changes in the decision-making process in the state government.
Only thanks to Lajcak’s “persistence” the situation was resolved and Lajcak’s decisions were partially implemented, he added.