Speaker of the House of Peoples of the Parliamentary Assembly of Bosnia and Herzegovina (PABiH), Dr Nikola Špirić, at the Conference of Speakers of the Parliaments of the European Union

Speaker of the House of Peoples of the Parliamentary Assembly of Bosnia and Herzegovina (PABiH), Dr Nikola Špirić, addressed the Conference of Speakers of the Parliaments of the European Union (EU) in Budapest today, where he spoke about current challenges in Bosnia and Herzegovina and the need for internal dialogue.

At the beginning of his address, Speaker Špirić reminded those present that he comes from Bosnia and Herzegovina, a country that was granted peace 30 years ago by the Dayton Peace Agreement.

"I come from Bosnia and Herzegovina, a country whose citizens and political representatives are clearly committed to full EU membership, and I would like to point out that in March last year we received the ‘green light’ to open accession negotiations with the EU," said Speaker Špirić.

In his speech, he highlighted unacceptable and absurd things still present in Bosnia and Herzegovina, even three decades after the end of the armed conflict.

"Thirty years after Dayton, we still have the Office of the High Representative, led by an individual with colonial-style powers. We have an unelected foreigner who, in a single day, can suspend the Constitution and amend systemic laws. He amends the Criminal Code of Bosnia and Herzegovina in a way that leads to the criminal prosecution of the leadership of one entity – namely the President of Republika Srpska, the Prime Minister, and the Speaker of the National Assembly – which is considered a serious provocation and something that would be unacceptable in any fully-fledged EU member state," Špirić emphasized.

He also reminded the audience that, since Dayton, the Constitutional Court of Bosnia and Herzegovina has included three foreign judges among its nine members, and that this court not only interprets the Constitution, but creates constitutional solutions, which he believes is problematic.

"I come from a country where, even 30 years after Dayton, one of its constituent peoples – the Croat people – is still fighting for full constitutional equality, particularly in relation to the election of the Croat member of the Presidency of Bosnia and Herzegovina," said Speaker Špirić.

At the conclusion of his address, Speaker Špirić stressed that solutions must be sought through agreement and dialogue within the country.

"These are all open issues that require internal dialogue, not externally imposed solutions. That is why I urge you – and this conference is the right forum – to encourage dialogue within the country, in order to ensure a secure European path for Bosnia and Herzegovina," concluded Speaker Špirić in his address at the Conference of Speakers of the Parliaments of the EU. (Statement from the Office of the Speaker of the House of Peoples, Dr Nikola Špirić)