FLASH
Shkruar nga PamfletiThe rejection of the US-backed candidate for the post of High Representative has sparked an open clash between Washington and key European countries. The US embassy in Sarajevo warned that it may reconsider its commitment to the international presence in Bosnia and Herzegovina. Meanwhile, negotiations to find a compromise candidate continue amid rising tensions.
A growing rift between the United States and European countries over the future of Bosnia and Herzegovina has come to light after disagreements over the appointment of the international community's new High Representative in the country.
The US embassy in Sarajevo warned that Washington may "reconsider" its role in the international presence in Bosnia, after European countries refused to support the US's preferred candidate for the post.
During this week's meeting in Sarajevo of the Peace Implementation Council (PIC), the multinational body overseeing the implementation of the 1995 Dayton Agreement, the US supported Italian diplomat Antonio Zanardi Landi, while the UK, France, Germany and most European countries supported French diplomat René Troccaz, France's special envoy for the Western Balkans.
The Trump administration also sought to limit the powers of the High Representative to implement the principles of the Dayton Agreement, an agreement that ended the war in Bosnia, which claimed about 100,000 lives, but failed to fully resolve the ethnic divisions in the country.
In a reaction on the X platform, the US Embassy in Sarajevo stated:
“The United States notes the failure of European countries to reach consensus on a European candidate and is disappointed that these divisions have prevented the Peace Implementation Council from fulfilling its task of selecting a new High Representative. European indecision and the PIC’s failure to fulfill its obligations to Bosnia and Herzegovina are forcing the United States to reconsider its role in the current international presence in the country.”
The US no longer has a significant military presence in Bosnia, where a small European Union peacekeeping force currently operates. However, Washington continues to have significant influence through the Peace Implementation Council and bilateral relations.
The PIC is expected to try again at the end of the month to reach consensus on the appointment of the new High Representative, while compromise candidates are being considered.
A European official suggested the region could benefit if the US reduced its role, as doubts grow in Europe about the Trump administration's motives.
Last year, the US administration lifted sanctions on the Moscow-backed Bosnian Serb separatist leader, Milorad Dodik, after a lobbying campaign in Washington that reportedly cost millions of dollars.
The US also pressured the current High Representative, Christian Schmidt, to step down after he imposed punitive measures against Dodik for actions that undermined the Dayton Agreement.
At the same time, family members and associates of President Trump have increased their economic interests in Bosnia. In April, Donald Trump Jr. visited Banja Luka as a guest of Milorad Dodik's son.
Political analyst Jasmin Mujanović, author of two books on Bosnia, said the Trump administration appears to have misjudged its influence on European allies.
"The Americans seemed to think it didn't really matter what the Europeans thought and assumed they would fall in line with them. I think that was a misreading of the situation," he said.
According to Mujanović, it remains unclear why the US is insisting so strongly on Antonio Zanardi Landi's candidacy.
“This raises the question of what understandings exist between Landi and the Americans that explain their great enthusiasm for him,” he added.
According to reports from the PIC meeting in Sarajevo, the American delegation promoted Landi's candidacy more strongly than Italy itself.
Kurt Bassuener, co-founder of the Berlin-based think tank Democratization Policy Council, said it's not just about an appointment.
"This is not just a personnel issue. It is a strategic decision that must be linked to a regional strategy," he said.
According to Bassuener, the American position seems to be guided not only by ideological considerations, but also by economic interests.
"It seems that the main priority is securing concessions, contracts and economic benefits," he said.
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