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Comment by Foreign Ministry Spokeswoman Maria Zakharova on EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy Josep Borrell's remarks concerning the outcome of elections in Bosnia and Herzegovina

8 October 2022 14:13
2089-08-10-2022

Mr Borrell's statement on the results of elections in BiH is yet another manifestation of Brussels' haughty attitude to sovereign states.

Based on the outcome of the vote, he infers, in accordance with his totally Jesuitical logic, that now the BiH authorities are responsible to deliver on the people's aspirations, including on EU integration and economic prosperity. In so doing, he actually compels an independent state to join the anti-Russian camp.

We again see the EU grossly violating the principles of sovereign equality of states and the respect for rights inherent in sovereignty, as enshrined in the UN Charter and the CSCE Helsinki Final Act of 1975. In effect, candidates for EU membership are being made to adopt decisions and approaches that are far from always in keeping with their national interests.

But their rapprochement with the EU does not ensure the expected stability and economic growth. The EU's decades-old predominance in the BiH economy has failed to prevent an industrial decline, the closure of major businesses (particularly those with the potential to compete with EU businesses), a slide in living standards, and a huge drain of workforce to EU countries. European integration has failed and is unable to become a panacea for all ills.

Mr Borrell cynically mentions "mistrust of citizens in public institutions." But it is the West that has provoked divisions in BiH. Suffice it to recall the decision by the former High Representative, Valentin Inzko, who criminalised negation of "genocide" in BiH without consulting the Steering Board of the Peace Implementation Council, as well as an attempt to appoint a new High Representative, Christian Schmidt, without the consent of the UN Security Council. All of this led to a surge in domestic political tensions that was unprecedented in scale during the entire post-conflict period and to a paralysis of public institutions.

Instead of engaging in patronising appeals to the BiH authorities and making attempts to preserve external control, EU leaders should recall the need to respect the Balkan states' sovereignty and their right to independent home and foreign policies.