Greater Serbia’s Dark Revival: The Alarming Resurgence of a Criminal Agenda

The Chairman of the Presidency of Bosnia and Herzegovina, Denis Bećirović, addressed the session of the United Nations Security Council in New York today.

We transcribe Chairman Bećirović’s speech in its entirety:

Honorable Chairman, Honorable Excellencies, at the beginning of my address, I would like to take this opportunity, Honorable Chairman, to wish you a successful presidency of the United Nations (UN) Security Council.

It is my duty to implement the foreign policy of the state of Bosnia and Herzegovina, which is based on the Constitution, laws and other state documents.

Our foreign policy goals are to join NATO and the EU. Bosnia and Herzegovina has successfully covered a large part of the road towards Euro-Atlantic and European integration. If no barriers and obstacles were initiated outside the borders of our country, our results would have been even better.

Every war in the long history of Bosnia and Herzegovina was caused by the aggression of other countries

Every war in the long history of Bosnia and Herzegovina was caused by the aggression of other countries.

That was the case between 1992 and the end of 1995. This was also confirmed by the United Nations courts. Therefore, the essential problem of Bosnia and Herzegovina is attempts from outside to weaken, divide and ultimately destroy our country.

In May this year, the United Nations General Assembly adopted a Resolution on the International Day of Remembrance and Commemoration of the Genocide committed in Srebrenica in 1995.

After the final judgments of the highest courts of the United Nations on the genocide against Bosniaks, it is very important that the General Assembly of the United Nations also adopts this resolution. We must not forget, the genocide against Bosniaks was the culmination of the aggression against Bosnia and Herzegovina.

Unfortunately, the leadership of the Republic of Serbia does not respect the rulings of the UN courts and the Resolution of the UN General Assembly.

Let me remind you that Serbia is the only country in the world that has violated the United Nations Convention on the Prevention and Punishment of the Crime of Genocide.

The destructive policy of the Serbian leadership is also followed by the authorities of the Republika Srpska entity. They recently introduced content glorifying convicted war criminals Radovan Karadžić and Ratko Mladić into primary school curricula.

They are not heroes. They are convicted war criminals, guilty of genocide, crimes against humanity and other war crimes.

They threaten the foundations of the Dayton Peace Agreement

Ladies and gentlemen, the authorities of the Republika Srpska entity are dangerously threatening the foundations of the Dayton Peace Agreement.

They advocate publicly:

– unilaterally destroy the Dayton Agreement
– renewal of the Greater Serbia criminal project;
– destroyed the state of Bosnia and Herzegovina
– and breaking international and national law.

These are not just my personal comments.

On June 20, 2024, the Steering Committee of the Peace Implementation Council unanimously concluded that the ruling coalition in the Republika Srpska entity:

– carrying out blatant attacks on the General Framework Agreement for Peace;
– attacking the constitutional and legal order of Bosnia and Herzegovina;
– attacking the sovereignty and territorial integrity of Bosnia and Herzegovina;
– undermines the state, its authorities and its multi-ethnic character.

The witnesses of the Dayton Agreement, who are active in the Peace Implementation Council and the United Nations, should sound the red alarm because of threats to peace and stability in Bosnia and Herzegovina and the region.

It is very important that the Steering Committee of the Peace Implementation Council adopts a clear interpretation of the three important elements for securing peace and stability.

Sovereignty belongs to Bosnia and Herzegovina, as a single state whose territorial integrity is guaranteed, among other things, by the General Framework Agreement for Peace.

Entities within Bosnia and Herzegovina are not states

Entities within Bosnia and Herzegovina are not states, they exist only on the basis of the Constitution of Bosnia and Herzegovina and do not have their own sovereignty.

The international community maintains the necessary instruments to ensure the implementation of the General Framework Agreement for Peace.

Ladies and gentlemen, the leadership of the Republic of Serbia is aggressively interfering in the internal affairs of Bosnia and Herzegovina, as well as some other countries in the region.

One of the proofs of my request is the adopted Declaration of the so-called All-Serbian Assembly in Belgrade, on 8 June this year. Besides the so-called All-Serbian Parliament, the Declaration was adopted by the Assembly of Serbia and the Assembly of the Republika Srpska entity.

The so-called All-Serbian Parliament cannot be better than the state bodies of Bosnia and Herzegovina and declare the military neutrality of Bosnia and Herzegovina.

One of the vice presidents of the Government of the Republic of Serbia openly admitted recently that “the unification of Serbia and the Republic of Srpska has begun.” This is dangerous and completely unacceptable.

It is time to tell the truth about Serbia’s real intentions here in the UN Security Council.

The goal of the Serbian leadership is the gradual Anschluss of the Republika Srpska entity

The essential goal of the Serbian leadership is the gradual Anschluss of the Republika Srpska entity to the Serbian constitution.

It tries to achieve this goal by abusing parallel relations. Let me remind you that the Constitution of Bosnia and Herzegovina clearly states that parallel relations can be established with neighboring countries “in accordance with the sovereignty and territorial integrity of Bosnia and Herzegovina”. The declaration of the so-called All-Serbian Parliament in violation of the Dayton Agreement and the Constitution of Bosnia and Herzegovina.

For these and a number of other reasons, the High Representative had to rescind this anti-Dayton declaration. It is not just a declaratory act, but a dangerous program document for the big state.

Unfortunately, the High Representative has not yet done so.

I call on the international community, especially the EU, to clearly condemn the reactivation of the Greater Serbia project.

This concerns not only Bosnia and Herzegovina, but also the whole of Europe. Let’s stop the revival of the dangerous “one nation, one parliament” concept in time.

It is particularly unacceptable that the Serbian leadership does not respect international law, as well as the final and binding judgments of the Constitutional Court of Bosnia and Herzegovina on the property of the state of Bosnia and Herzegovina.

State property is an inseparable part of the territorial integrity and sovereignty of Bosnia and Herzegovina.

In Dayton, the disgraced President of Serbia, Slobodan Milosevic, tried to divide state property between the entities. Milošević did not achieve this goal during the aggression against Bosnia and Herzegovina, as well as during the negotiations in Dayton. The international community must not allow this war objective to be achieved in peace.

EUFOR’s presence is important to maintain peace and stability

Ladies and gentlemen, I believe it is important for the UN Security Council to adopt the Resolution on extending the EUFOR/Althea mandate.

EUFOR’s presence is important for maintaining peace and stability in Bosnia and Herzegovina, but also in the region.

Also, NATO’s message that it will not allow a security vacuum in Bosnia and Herzegovina is very important. Don’t forget, NATO’s mandate in Bosnia and Herzegovina is precisely defined by Annex 1-A of the Dayton Agreement.

The future of Bosnia and Herzegovina is linked to the implementation of the judgments of the European Court of Human Rights in Strasbourg.

Bosnia and Herzegovina has an obligation to ensure the individual rights of citizens, not only the collective rights of the people. It is time for regressive forces to stop obstructing the implementation of the judgments of the European Court of Human Rights.

Pressure on the European Court of Human Rights is unacceptable

Pressure on the European Court of Human Rights due to the latest ruling in the case of Slaven Kovačević is unacceptable. We must eliminate all forms of discrimination against citizens, including discrimination on ethnic and territorial grounds.

It is our obligation to harmonize the Constitution of Bosnia and Herzegovina with international law and generally accepted democratic principles and practices. In that process, the democratic and multi-ethnic state of Bosnia and Herzegovina needs to be strengthened.

Bosnia and Herzegovina accepted the European Convention for the Protection of Human Rights and Fundamental Freedoms as part of its international obligations under the Dayton Agreement, thus taking responsibility for the protection of human rights in accordance with the highest European standards.

Bosnia and Herzegovina does not need to apply this convention selectively.

The Constitution of BiH stipulates the direct application of the European Convention for the Protection of Human Rights and Fundamental Freedoms, as well as the priority of this convention over all other rights.

Bosnia and Herzegovina needs democratic solutions

Bosnia and Herzegovina needs democratic solutions to overcome the current challenges.

In this sense, I believe we should focus on:

– consistent and comprehensive implementation of all aspects of the Dayton Agreement;
– harmonize the Constitution of BiH, in accordance with the requirements of the European Court for Human Rights;
– acceptance of the EU acquis.

My country needs a political system that will ensure equal rights and a better future for all citizens.

Ladies and gentlemen, at the end of my address to the United Nations Security Council, I would like to emphasize that it is very important for my homeland, Bosnia and Herzegovina, to ensure the necessary preconditions that will guarantee the safety of all citizens.

Unfortunately, we are seeing a huge proliferation of assault weapons in the neighborhood. After the genocide, crimes against humanity and joint criminal enterprises of the 1990s, Bosnia and Herzegovina should be enabled to have the necessary defense capabilities, in accordance with international and national law. It is a joint obligation between Bosnia and Herzegovina and the international community.