Miroslav Lajčák: l’arrestation de Karadzic ouvre de nouvelles perspectives dans les Balkans occidentaux[en] 

Dr. Lajčák, how did people in Bosnia and Herzegovina react to the arrest in Serbia of war criminal Radovan Karadzic, responsible for the death of tens of thousands of Bosniaks? 

It is definitely good news for Bosnia and Herzegovina and this was visible from the reaction of ordinary citizens. Here in Sarajevo, people were happily celebrating. It is great news and a great satisfaction for them and it really proved that justice can be served and no one is above the law. 

At the same time in Republika Srpska [the Serbian entity under the federal government, covering around 49% of the territory of Bosnia and Herzegovina], the news was accepted quietly, peacefully, by all the parties except one, the one created by Mr Karadzic himself. Overall Bosnia and Herzegovina received the news as an important sign for internal reconciliation in the country, and I also hope this will improve the communication between Bosnia and Herzegovina and Serbia. 

You know the region well. The fresh attitude of the new Serbian government will probably make a difference for the entire Western Balkans? 

Absolutely! If it is great news for Bosnia and Herzegovina, the same goes for the region as such, because first of all it destroys some clichés, and secondly it helps introduce a new, fresh atmosphere in the region. It proves the new Serbian government is serious about cooperation with the International Criminal Tribunal for the Former Yugoslavia, and its commitment to European integration. And I also expect, as a result, the process to continue and to arrive at a complete end - that is, that the two remaining fugitives will be apprehended, and secondly, that communication and the relationship between Sarajevo and Belgrade will improve. 

How would you describe the situation in Bosnia and Herzegovina today in a manner which can be understood by people who are not very familiar with the region and its history? Basically we know that the communities live a secluded life despite efforts to foster statehood, which is also part of your responsibilities.

I would describe Bosnia and Herzegovina as a carriage with four wheels, but each one is of different size. The carriage is moving forward, but quite slowly and painfully, it takes a lot of energy to have it move. The wheels are the three constitutive peoples (Bosniak, Serb and Croat) and the international community. 

The country is on a good track, since in April an agreement on police reform was reached and the European perspective was de-blocked. There is now a clear European perspective for the country which really helps improve the atmosphere here. At the same time, there are fundamental issues still open – first of all, the issue of the recent war – the war crimes and the responsibility. The second issue is defining the internal architecture of the State. It means the discussion about the distribution of competences between different levels of governance – state, entities, cantons and so on. 

Communication is going on, but one of the problems, as I see it, is that that our local partners, all three of them, tend to see their side of the story and tend to ignore the others. Of course it makes it more difficult to reach a consensus. 

The police reform which you mentioned was intended to introduce more statehood, a common authority among the communities. It was considered a test case, but will it work? 

The police reform is indeed a test case and a major condition for the European integration process. I'm happy we were able to find a solution to the issue which meets the expectations of the EU and at the same time represents a maximum of what can be delivered at this period of time. It wasn't an easy goal to achieve, it required a lot of effort by our local partners. We are now at the phase of implementation of this reform at the state level. 

How is the security situation in Bosnia and Herzegovina? We noticed media reports about Transparency International leaving the country because of security concerns. 

The security situation in Bosnia and Herzegovina is satisfactory, the situation is calm, under control, there are no security threats. I'm clear about this. The story about Transparency International is different, it's a conflict this organisation has with the Republika Srpska government. And since the issue is still going on and will be addressed through standard legal procedures, I'm not in a position to comment now or to rule a verdict. But we are concerned about the fact that such a respected international organisation fears about its security and feels forced to close their offices. It's certainly not a good sign for Republika Srpska. 

But at the same time the Regional Cooperation Council, the new body fostering regional cooperation in South Eastern Europe, has been established in Sarajevo. Probably this is seen as a sign of confidence in Bosnia - to host the region's most important body. 

Yes, absolutely. I very much support the Regional Cooperation Council, the natural successor of the Stability Pact for South Eastern Europe. What we need to see more is regional cooperation and the removal of all kinds of regional barriers. And this is exactly the priority of this organisation. The fact that Sarajevo was selected as headquarters for this organisation speaks for itself. First of all, Sarajevo is geographically the hearth of this region, and second, it's politically acceptable to all members of the RCC. I believe that the RCC will play a very important role in preparing the countries of the region for the challenges of European integration. 

Having said this, Bosnia and Herzegovina also contains the essence of the problems the region is faced with – poor communication between communities, bad infrastructure… 

Of course, Bosnia and Herzegovina shares these features of the region… But if you are serious about joining the EU, you should first prove it by improving communications with your neighbours, first inside your own country, and then with your closest neighbors. This is the first exam you need to pass. 

Since 2007 you have been the High Representative of the International Community for Bosnia and Herzegovina. What does this position mean? Are you some kind of viceroy? 

Well, I am the High Representative of the International Community and at the same time I am the Special Representative of the EU. I have far-reaching competences which can be described as responsibilities for the respect of the Dayton peace agreement and for the respect of the Constitution of Bosnia and Herzegovina. It is also my responsibility to find a balance between my competences, my authority, and the local responsibility. And this is a dynamic concept. 

After 13 years of our presence, we are thinking about entrusting our local partners with more responsibilities. Instead of macro-managing the country, we are here to help them, to facilitate, to guide, and of course, to act every time there are threats to the positive developments in this country and in particular challenges to the Constitution. 

I'm also trying to find a balance between my responsibilities as High Representative and as the EU Special Representative, meaning that my personal ambition is to use my competences basically the way the football referee uses his yellow and red cards. I would like the local players to play the game, it's their country and they are all democratically elected, but I'm here to interrupt the game and eventually use my yellow and red cards, which I do every time the game goes wrong. We are also trying to raise the awareness of the citizens of Bosnia and Herzegovina of the merits of European perspective and we are want to replace continuously this authority by the attractiveness of European integration. 

You are the highest ranking East European in such an important international position. It has been held previously by Carl Bild, Carlos Westendorp, Lord Ashdown, etc. Is it an advantage to be from a country which recently completed a successful transition, with Slovakia also extremely successful inside the EU and quite pro-European? 

I believe it's normal and it's good that this position is held by a new EU member state. It shows that EU enlargement is a two-way street. Like others, coming from countries which have accomplished the process of transition, we have an added value by knowing both sides of the coin. Having been out and now in, knowing what the transition is, and at the same time having the legitimacy to represent the EU. Coming from Slovakia, I understand the challenges, not always rational, that the countries in the Western Balkans are facing. And I'm trying to use my personal experience to somehow transfer it here. 

I think it works, in a way. Let me say again – the European perspective is the only viable perspective for these countries. And it's important we keep this perspective alive and attractive. And for them, it's important that they see the EU as a functioning organism, as an organism that has clear answers to strategic challenges, and a Union that keeps its word when it speaks about enlargement with the countries of the Western Balkans. This is the driving force for the badly needed reforms in these countries. 

To make the 'soft power of Europe', as Commissioner Olli Rehn calls it, work again… 

Exactly. This is the soft power of Europe and it's our, the EU's, responsibility to show the soft power is here, it's visible and it works. I see no alternative to this.