The complex in Potocari near Srebrenica in eastern Bosnia was managed until now by a nongovernmental organisation, while attempts to regulate this matter by law were obstructed by Serb members of the state parliament.
I could not leave Bosnia with this issue unresolved, Schwarz-Schilling told the press, explaining why he decided to use his extensive authority and just seven days before the end of his term impose a law on the memorial complex.
This law binds the state government to appoint a steering board that will be in charge of maintaining and protecting the complex and the cemetery of the victims of the massacre committed against Muslims from Srebrenica in July 1995.
The 12th anniversary of the massacre will be marked on July 11, when the remains of about 400 victims will be buried.
Bosnian Serb entity officials said that unlike in previous years, they would not attend this year's commemoration.
Schwarz-Schilling also said that at the end of his term on July 2 he would visit Bosnia and Herzegovina only privately and that he would not stay in the country to work on constitutional reform, as reported by some media.
He will be succeeded by Miroslav Lajcak.