Diplomat insults politicians
Bosnia representative Schmidt bursts the collar
8/18/2022, 4:32 p.m
As High Representative, Christian Schmidt is supposed to accompany the peace process in Bosnia-Herzegovina. But when asked by a journalist, he now acts in a highly undiplomatic manner: In an angry tone, he scolds the country’s politics.
Former Agriculture Minister Christian Schmidt caused a stir in his current area of work, Bosnia-Herzegovina, with an outburst of anger. During a visit to the small town of Gorazde on Wednesday, the 64-year-old CSU politician rumbled in English: “Rubbish, full rubish. I am rid of this.” (roughly: “Nonsense, utter nonsense. I’ve had enough of it.”)
Schmidt – now High Representative of the international community in Bosnia-Herzegovina – continued: “I’m fed up with this situation. Everyone blames everyone. Friends, that’s not how you get to Europe!” Footage of the performance made the rounds on the internet. Schmidt had responded to a journalist’s question as to whether he was prepared to push through changes to the electoral law, since there was no political agreement.
The CSU politician said in a rather undiplomatic tone: “The people here deserve that the politicians who elected them work and don’t just complain! That’s the core problem!”
“A piece of the future of a country playful”
“Every day since I took office, I have encountered individual attitudes paired with recriminations that discredit others in order to generate personal benefits,” Schmidt explained when asked by the German Press Agency. “I hope to finally have shaken the decision-makers in politics awake. A piece of the future of a country in the heart of Europe will be lost here if things continue like this.”
According to Schmidt, the upcoming elections in October offer the opportunity to dissolve the political deadlock. A policy that prevents the emigration of young people is urgently needed. “In 2021 alone, around 170,000 citizens turned their backs on BIH (Bosnia and Herzegovina). The EU benefits from this, but Southeastern Europe is emptying,” said Schmidt.
The long-standing CSU member of the Bundestag has been the international representative in the capital Sarajevo for a good year. His responsibilities include implementing the 1995 Dayton Accords, which ended the war that separated Bosnia-Herzegovina from then-Yugoslavia.