MACUT: RETURNING TO ORIGINAL PRINCIPLES OF DAYTON

BELGRADE, NOVEMBER 14 /SRNA/ - Serbian Prime Minister Đuro Macut told SRNA that Serbia advocates a return to the original principles of the Dayton Peace Agreement, despite attempts to alter its provisions through unilateral decisions and political pressure.

On the occasion of the 30th anniversary of the Dayton Agreement, Macut emphasized that the document remains the foundation of peace, stability, and balance in BiH and the entire region. He pointed out that the essence of the Dayton Peace Agreement lies in respecting the equality of the three constituent peoples and the two entities – Republika Srpska and the Federation of BiH – as well as in maintaining the balance that has allowed the region to develop in peace after severe suffering. "Unfortunately, over the years, we have witnessed attempts to alter the spirit and letter of Dayton through unilateral decisions and political pressures. Serbia consistently believes that only a return to the original principles of the Dayton Peace Agreement and dialogue among all parties can preserve stability and trust," Macut emphasized. Macut stated that Serbia, as a signatory and guarantor of the Dayton Peace Agreement, remains committed to its full implementation and to protecting the rights of all peoples in BiH. "I am convinced that only through respect for the agreement and consideration of all parties can we preserve peace and build a future based on mutual respect," Macut said. The General Framework Agreement for Peace in BiH, better known as the Dayton Peace Agreement, was negotiated on November 21, 1995, at the Wright-Patterson Air Force Base near Dayton in the U.S. state of Ohio, and officially signed on December 14 of the same year in Paris. The Dayton Agreement defined BiH as a state composed of two entities and three constituent peoples, and its Annex IV established the constitutional structure of BiH and the division of competencies at the BiH and entity levels. In the years following the signing of the Dayton Agreement, under pressure from the Office of the High Representative /OHR/ and the Constitutional Court of BiH, Republika Srpska was stripped of more than 80 competencies, which were transferred to the BiH level.