On 1 August, the Austrian diplomat Valentin Inzko will leave the office of High Representative for Bosnia and Herzegovina, and will hand over to his successor, Christian Schmidt from Germany. Federal Minister Alexander Schallenberg praised the work of Inzko, who – as the second Austrian in this role – guided the destiny of post-war Bosnia for over twelve years. In the first two years of his term, Valentin Inzko also served as an EU representative.
Hardly any of his predecessors had such extensive knowledge of political processes and the historical context, but also empathy for each individual citizen,
said Schallenberg.
He always endeavoured to ensure that the international community in Bosnia and Herzegovina spoke with one voice while at the same time defining red lines, when it came to the existence of the state. He consistently opposed nationalist rhetoric aimed at dividing the public, ethnic groups and religions, or even at glorifying war crimes.
Alexander Schallenberg was keen to stress that
in all of this Inzko, as a convinced European, has always been concerned with the future of the Western Balkans in the European Union.
The Foreign Minister pledged his full support to Inzko’s successor, Christian Schmidt. He also urged all politicians in the country to take more personal responsibility for the state of Bosnia and Herzegovina, for which Austria will continue to be a reliable partner and advocate.
