BONSKA OVLAŠTENJA VISOKOG PREDSTAVNIKA: IZMEĐU MEĐUNARODNE INTERVENCIJE I OGRANIČENE SUVERENOSTI BOSNE I HERCEGOVINE
THE BONN POWERS OF THE HIGH REPRESENTATIVE: BETWEEN INTERNATIONAL INTERVENTION AND THE LIMITED SOVEREIGNTY OF BOSNIA AND HERZEGOVINA

Author(s): Ognjen Sredojević
Subject(s): Governance, International relations/trade, EU-Approach / EU-Accession / EU-Development, Geopolitics
Published by: CENTAR MODERNIH ZNANJA
Keywords: High Representative; Bonn powers; institutional stability; Bosnia and Herzegovina; democratic legitimacy; international intervention; political autonomy; European integration;
Summary/Abstract: This paper analyzes the role of the High Representative and the practice of applying the so-called Bonn powers in Bosnia and Herzegovina, with a particular focus on their institutional, legal, and social effects in the post-Dayton period. The research examines the impact of the Bonn powers on state stability, democratic legitimacy, the political autonomy of domestic institutions, and the long-term sustainability of the postDayton system. The aim of the study is to determine the extent to which international intervention contributes to or limits the development of domestic capacities and institutional accountability. The main hypothesis assumes that, although the Bonn powers allow for the short-term resolution of political and institutional deadlocks, they do not strengthen domestic political responsibility in the long term, but rather establish patterns of dependence and institutional passivity. The auxiliary hypotheses analyze the legal and legitimacy uncertainties of the Bonn powers, their impact on social identity and citizens’ collective responsibility, and the paradox of reforms in the context of European integration. The research is based on qualitative content analysis, legal-normative and comparative methods, and the synthesis of available reports and publicly accessible sources, including Transparency International BiH (2015). The analysis shows that while the Bonn powers can be effective in crisis situations and in bridging immediate institutional gaps, they ultimately limit the development of domestic political autonomy, lead to legal uncertainty, political polarization, and weaker social cohesion. Formal reforms, although aligned with international standards, often remain insufficiently implemented, reducing their sustainability and contribution to institutional strengthening. The study concludes that the Bonn powers represent a paradoxical mechanism: they may prevent short-term collapse but cannot replace the active, responsible role of domestic political actors. Sustainable stability in Bosnia and Herzegovina depends on strengthening institutional capacities, consensual decision-making, and the development of democratic culture within domestic structures.

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