DR. CHRISTIAN SCHWARZ-SCHILLING VISITED IFIMES

Dr. Christian Schwarz-Schilling, former High Representative and Special Representative of the EU for Bosnia and Herzegovina as well as former German Federal Minister for Post and Communication, visited today, February 20, 2008, the International Institute IFIMES.

Dr. Schwarz-Schilling was received by Mr. Bakhtyar Aljaf and Mr. Zijad Bećirović, the Directors of the IFIMES. They presented to the special guest the Institute, its Board and organization and pointed out that the Institute provides more than 200.000 recipients with analyses and reports practically on a daily basis.

During one hour and a half of indepth discussion the following topics were given special attention:

• Kosovo – politically and historically this case is very clear, with the difference to Republika Srpska, which, according to the Dayton Peace Agreement, is an integral part of Bosnia and Herzegovina. The fact is that Slobodan Milošević at the Dayton Peace Process did not want to include Kosovo in the text of the accords as well as that Milorad Dodik and Haris Silajdžić are not in the position to change the Dayton Peace Accord.
• Dr. Schwarz-Schilling expressed his strong support to the IFIMES and praised highly its work. He emphasized that this is the first such institute in the Balkans and in Central Europe, which focuses very seriously and thoroughly on the Western Balkans and Middle East topics.
• The role of the EU in the Western Balkans has also been discussed. The shortage of experts, who could upgrade the EU’s importance in the region discussed and elsewhere poses a serious problem for the EU.
• The role of Slovenia and its EU Presidency is followed closely by the international community, in particular referring to the Western Balkans. Within this context, its occasionall ignorance of certain clear facts is surprising.
• The USA is much more efficient in the Balkans than the EU. The Brčko BiH District as the USA success story is an illustration of the former, while the city of Mostar as the EU failure story is the illustration of the latter.

Dr. Schwarz-Schilling was also invited to hold a lecture at IFIMES, what he accepted with pleasure.