Schwarz-Schilling, who took office in late January, for the first time addressed a plenary session of both houses of the Bosnian parliament today. Top government officials also attended.
This is not a good moment to be trying the European Union's patience, Schwarz-Schilling told Bosnian politicians, urging them to spend the remaining 100 days of their terms in office passing laws that Brussels insisted on as a condition for concluding a Stabilisation and Association Agreement with the Union.
The German diplomat said the international community certainly would not administer Bosnia in the future, notably in view of a clear plan to close the Office of the High Representative with its existing powers in the summer of 2007.
Schwarz-Schilling offered his help and advice, but underlined that he did not intend to be interventionist.
He said he would exert his powers only if peace and security in Bosnia were directly endangered and to ensure full cooperation with the Hague war crimes tribunal.
He also said it was regrettable that an opportunity had been missed to adopt constitutional changes based on an agreement of the leaders of the most influential political parties.
Schwarz-Schilling said parliament's refusal to adopt the draft amendments showed lack of political courage, bad intensions, corruption and selfish interests of some politicians.
Summarising what was expected of Bosnia and Herzegovina by October, he explicitly mentioned police reform, the adoption of a series of laws on education and the economy, and the reorganisation of the radio and television system.
The reward for that will be the signing of the SAA by the end of the year, the High Representative said.