The U.S. Embassy in Bosnia and Herzegovina recently responded to President of Serbia Aleksandar Vučić’s questions regarding state property in BiH, affirming that the property belongs to the state. Vučić had accused the Embassy of causing a crisis by claiming that the property belongs to the state and not the entities.
The Embassy emphasized that legal history and court rulings support their stance, highlighting an agreement signed in 2001 attributing state property to BiH. They also condemned the “all-Serbian declaration” from Belgrade, stating it undermines the Dayton Peace Agreement.
Republika Srpska’s attempts to pass laws regarding property were overturned by the Constitutional Court of BiH. The Embassy reiterated that, according to international law, only states can inherit rights and obligations of predecessor states.
The issue of state property has been a long-standing concern, prompting calls for a permanent solution. Disposal of state property was prohibited by a law imposed by the then-high representative in BiH, Paddy Ashdown, in 2005.