The high representative for Bosnia & Herzegovina, Christian Schmidt, has warned that the country faces a serious political crisis which may lead to its disintegration, following secessionist actions by Republika Srpska President Milorad Dodik, according to a United Nations press release issued on May 6.

Despite the worrying developments, Schmidt remained adamant that the people of Bosnia can and do live together.

In his report on the implementation of the 1995 General Framework Agreement for Peace, Schmidt said Dodik’s attempts to undermine the constitutional order—including the introduction of a draft entity constitution—pose a direct threat to the territorial and societal integrity of Bosnia.

Dodik was convicted on February 26 for failing to implement the decisions of the high representative. He was sentenced to one year in prison and barred from holding political office for six years. He has appealed the verdict. Since then, the political situation has deteriorated sharply.

The Republika Srpska president has directed local authorities to adopt legislation rejecting the authority of state-level judicial and law enforcement institutions, and has proposed a draft Entity constitution, which Schmidt described as "hinting at de facto secession”.

“Bosnia & Herzegovina is facing difficult times. Nobody would have expected 30 years ago that the international community is needed as much today as it is,” Schmidt told the UN. However, he insisted that “the people of Bosnia & Herzegovina can and do live together”.

Schmidt said that the institutions established by the Dayton Agreement, including the Constitutional Court and the Office of the High Representative, remain vital to preventing the disintegration of the state.

He noted that the ongoing crisis has seriously impacted the state-level governing coalition, stalled progress toward European Union accession, and undermined state functionality. Legislative and institutional reforms have been put on hold.

“This development is not irreversible, but it is severe,” Schmidt said. “It needs to be addressed without delay. It requires active engagement by the international community.”

He concluded by urging international actors to reaffirm their support for Bosnia and reassure its citizens that they have not been abandoned.

The high representative noted that the Serb community “did not pay heed to Mr. Dodik’s unlawful directives”. For example, although ethnic Serbs working in State-level institutions have been pressured to abandon their posts, “these calls and threats have been left overwhelmingly unanswered”.

Meanwhile, the Bosniak community “has been able to remain calm despite the tensions and to continue on the path of patient dialogue also in order to keep the country’s European integration on the table”.

He also noticed “a continuing pro-European commitment” on the part of the Croat community, “as well as an increased willingness to engage in inter-ethnic dialogue, including in local disputes”.