Bosnia analyst warns OHR collapse could dismantle Dayton peace framework

International relations professor Zlatko Hadžidedić told the Centralni dnevnik programme that the Office of the High Representative (OHR) is a core component of the Dayton Peace Agreement and Bosnia and Herzegovina’s constitutional order. He cautioned that if the OHR were to fall, “the Dayton agreement would no longer be valid” and the country could revert to its pre‑Dayton constitution.

Hadžidedić also suggested that the current High Representative, Christian Schmidt, might use his authority to impose a law on state property before departing. He linked the potential weakening of the OHR to broader geopolitical shifts, claiming that a Trump victory in the United States would strengthen Republika Srpska leader Milorad Dodik and could destabilise the EU’s influence in the region.

The analyst criticised the perceived control of Bosnian politics by Dodik and other local elites, describing them as “transitional owners” handing domestic resources to foreign companies. He further warned of a growing China‑Russia partnership reshaping global power balances, and noted that Iran now controls the Hormuz Strait, affecting maritime routes.