Valentin Inzko (born 22 May 1949) is an Austrian diplomat who served as the High Representative for Bosnia and Herzegovina from 2009 to 2021.{{cite web|url=http://www.ohr.int/pic/default.asp?content_id=43178|title=Ambassador Valentin Inzko Appointed As The Next High Representative|publisher=Office of the High Representative and the EU Special Representative|date=2009-03-13|access-date=2009-03-13|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090329203525/http://www.ohr.int/pic/default.asp?content_id=43178|archive-date=2009-03-29|url-status=dead}}{{cite news|url=http://news.xinhuanet.com/english/2009-03/27/content_11083488.htm|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090604172514/http://news.xinhuanet.com/english/2009-03/27/content_11083488.htm|title=Inzko takes over as High Representative to Bosnia-Herzegovina|url-status=dead|date=2009-03-27|archive-date=2009-06-04|work=Xinhua News Agency}} He also served as the European Union Special Representative for Bosnia and Herzegovina from 2009 to 2011.

Background

Inzko was born into a Carinthian Slovene family in Klagenfurt, Carinthia. His father, Valentin Inzko Sr., was a renowned cultural and political activist of the local Slovene minority. Valentin Jr. attended a Slovene-German bilingual school in Suetschach ({{langx|sl|Sveče}}) in the municipality of Feistritz im Rosental ({{langx|sl|Bistrica v Rožu}}). After finishing the Slovene language high school in Klagenfurt in 1967, he enrolled in the University of Graz, where he studied law and Slavic philology. Between 1972 and 1974, he attended the Diplomatic Academy of Vienna.

Besides Slovene and German, Inzko is fluent in English, Serbo-Croatian, Russian and Czech.{{cite web|url=https://www.msn.com/en-gb/news/uknews?cp-documentid=15048981|title=Latest news from around Great Britain |website=Msn.com|access-date=31 May 2019}} Among other works, he has translated the essays of Václav Havel's Living in Truth and The Power of the Powerless into Slovene.{{cite web|url=http://cobiss2.izum.si/scripts/cobiss?ukaz=DISP&id=2203257896324544&rec=10&sid=1|title=COBISS/OPAC - sl|website=Cobiss2.izum.si|access-date=31 May 2019}}

Inzko is married to Argentine Slovene opera singer Bernarda Fink Inzko.{{cn|date=April 2023}}

Early career

In 1974, Inzko entered the Austrian diplomatic service. Between 1982 and 1986, he worked as press attache at the Austrian embassy in Belgrade. After that, he worked at the Austrian mission to the United Nations. Between 1990 and 1996, he worked as the cultural attache at the Austrian embassy in the Czech Republic, and between 1996 and 1999, he was the Austrian ambassador to Bosnia and Herzegovina.

Between October and December 1992, Inzko was a member of the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe mission to the Sandžak region in Serbia. In 2005, he was named as the Austrian ambassador to Slovenia. In June 2010, Inzko was elected to be chairman of the National Council of Carinthian Slovenes.{{cite news|url=http://www.kleinezeitung.at/kaernten/2378275/rat-kaerntner-slowenen-inzko-zu-obmann-gewaehlt.story|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120113192808/http://www.kleinezeitung.at/kaernten/2378275/rat-kaerntner-slowenen-inzko-zu-obmann-gewaehlt.story|title=Rat der Kärntner Slowenen: Inzko zu Obmann gewählt|url-status=dead|date=Jun 20, 2010|archive-date=2012-01-13|work=Kleine Zeitung}}

High Representative for Bosnia and Herzegovina (2009–2021)

In March 2009, Inzko became the seventh high representative for Bosnia and Herzegovina, replacing the Slovak diplomat Miroslav Lajčák. Inzko thus became the second Carinthian Slovene to occupy that position, after Wolfgang Petritsch who served as the high representative between 1999 and 2002.

On 9 June 2009, Inzko used his powers for the first time and sacked two police officials. The two officials were Bosniak Himzo Đonko, a police commissioner in the Herzegovina-Neretva Canton, blamed for threatening Bosnian international officials in a bid to obstruct an investigation in his abuse of power accusations, and Bosnian Serb Radislav Jovičić, an official in the State Investigation and Protection Agency, alleged to have used his subordinates to illegally follow and observe Inzko's staff.{{cite web|url=https://www.upi.com/Top_News/2009/06/09/Bosnia-peace-envoy-sacks-2-police-officers/37341244571939/|title=Bosnia peace envoy sacks 2 police officers|website=Upi.com|access-date=31 May 2019}}

File:High Representative and EU Special Representative for Bosnia and Herzegovina (5453285224).jpg, 17 February 2011]]

In December 2020, Inzko, with the help of Sonja Karadžić-Jovičević, succeeded in having a plaque honoring convicted war criminal and Srebrenica genocide perpetrator Radovan Karadžić, Sonja's father, removed after threatening Bosnian Serb leader and Presidency member Milorad Dodik with European Union sanctions if the plaque was not removed within six months.{{Cite news|last1=Kovačević|first1=Vladimir|last2=Grebo|first2=Lamija|date=2020|title=Balkan transitional justice|work=Tribute to Radovan Karadzic Removed after Daughter Intervene|url=https://balkaninsight.com/2020/12/10/tribute-to-radovan-karadzic-removed-after-daughter-intervenes/}}

In May 2021, Inzko demanded the withdrawal of Republika Srpska honors for convicted war criminals, stating in his letter that "the glorification of war criminals directly hurts and provokes those who suffered the consequences of the war and damages the memory of the victims". This was the first time that he used the Bonn powers in eleven years. The National Assembly of Republika Srpska refused to withdraw the honors and claimed that Inzko's demand violates human rights.{{cite news |last1=Kovacevic |first1=Danijel |title=Bosnian Serbs Reject Call to Revoke War Criminals' Honours |url=https://balkaninsight.com/2021/05/12/bosnian-serbs-reject-call-to-revoke-war-criminals-honours/ |access-date=12 May 2021 |work=Balkan Insight |date=12 May 2021}}

On 27 May 2021, he resigned from his office of the high representative for Bosnia and Herzegovina, with German politician Christian Schmidt set to become the new high representative on 1 August 2021.{{cite web|url=https://www.klix.ba/vijesti/bih/valentin-inzko-podnio-ostavku-novi-visoki-predstavnik-dolazi-1-augusta/210527088|title=Valentin Inzko podnio ostavku, novi visoki predstavnik dolazi 1. augusta|date=27 May 2021|access-date=27 May 2021|language=bs|author=S.H.|publisher=Klix.ba}}

In the last ten days of his term as high representative, on 23 July 2021, Inzko unexpectedly imposed amendments to the Criminal Code of Bosnia and Herzegovina which banned the genocide denial and relativization of war crimes in Bosnia and Herzegovina.{{cite web|url=https://www.klix.ba/vijesti/inzko-nametnuo-zakon-o-zabrani-negiranja-genocida-u-bosni-i-hercegovini/210723055|title=Valentin Inzko nametnuo izmjene zakona kojim se zabranjuje negiranje genocida u BiH|date=23 July 2021|access-date=23 July 2021|language=bs|author=M.G.|publisher=Klix.ba}}{{cite journal |last1=Hronešová |first1= Jessie Barton|last2=Hasić |first2=Jasmin |date= 14 June 2023 |title= The 2021 Memory Law in Bosnia and Herzegovina – Reconciliation or Polarization? |journal=Journal of Genocide Research |pages=1–19 |doi=10.1080/14623528.2023.2205687 |doi-access= free |hdl=10278/5026381 |hdl-access=free }} He stated that the growing denial of genocide "represents a direct barrier to peace, reconciliation and trust-building and ultimately undermines the prospects for a secure, peaceful future." This was met with heavy criticism by Bosnian Serb politicians, especially by Milorad Dodik, stating "We [Republika Srpska] are forced to go into dissolution" and repeating many times that the "genocide did not happen."{{cite web|url=https://www.klix.ba/vijesti/bih/dodik-reagovao-na-inzkovu-odluku-ponovivsi-negiranje-genocida-prisiljeni-smo-da-krenemo-u-disoluciju/210723069|title=Dodik reagovao na Inzkovu odluku ponovivši negiranje genocida: Prisiljeni smo da krenemo u disoluciju|date=23 July 2021|access-date=23 July 2021|language=bs|author=R.D.|publisher=Klix.ba}} While the Bosnian Serb politicians were criticizing Inzko, Bosniak politicians were praising him for the imposed changes, with Bosniak leader Bakir Izetbegović congratulating Inzko for his decision.{{cite web|url=https://www.klix.ba/vijesti/bih/izetbegovic-cestitao-inzku-skinuo-je-hipoteku-genocida-sa-casnog-dijela-srpskog-naroda/210723083|title=Izetbegović čestitao Inzku: Skinuo je hipoteku genocida sa časnog dijela srpskog naroda|date=23 July 2021|access-date=23 July 2021|language=bs|author=M.G.|publisher=Klix.ba}} The chairman of the Presidency of Bosnia and Herzegovina and its Croat member Željko Komšić also praised Inzko for his "brave decision to impose these much necessary changes."{{cite web|url=https://www.klix.ba/vijesti/bih/komsic-o-zabrani-negiranja-genocida-trebalo-je-i-prije-ali-bolje-ikad-nego-nikad/210723070|title=Komšić o zabrani negiranja genocida: Trebalo je i prije, ali bolje ikad nego nikad|date=23 July 2021|access-date=23 July 2021|language=bs|author=M.G.|publisher=Klix.ba}} Internationally, Inzko got support from Croatian Foreign and European Affairs Minister Gordan Grlić-Radman,{{cite web|url=https://www.klix.ba/vijesti/bih/grlic-radman-hrvatska-podrzava-inzkovu-odluku-o-zabrani-negiranja-genocida/210723142|title=Grlić-Radman: Hrvatska podržava Inzkovu odluku o zabrani negiranja genocida|date=23 July 2021|access-date=23 July 2021|language=bs|author=M.G.|publisher=Klix.ba}} as well as from the United States Embassy in Sarajevo.{{cite web|url=https://www.klix.ba/vijesti/bih/ambasada-sad-a-zabrana-negiranja-genocida-je-pocetna-tacka-za-konkretniji-razgovor/210723072|title=Ambasada SAD-a: Zabrana negiranja genocida je početna tačka za konkretniji razgovor|date=23 July 2021|access-date=23 July 2021|language=bs|author=N.O.|publisher=Klix.ba}}

On 1 August 2021, Christian Schmidt officially became the new high representative, succeeding Inzko.{{cite web|url=https://www.klix.ba/vijesti/bih/schmidt-od-danas-obnasa-duznost-visokog-predstavnika-ima-li-rjesenje-za-bosanski-lonac/210801005|title=Ima li Schmidt rješenje za "bosanski lonac"?|date=1 August 2021|access-date=1 August 2021|language=bs|author=G.M.|publisher=Klix.ba}}

Honours

{{flag|Austria}}: Grand Decoration of Honour in Silver for Services to the Republic of Austria (2012){{cite web | url = http://www.parlament.gv.at/PAKT/VHG/XXIV/AB/AB_10542/imfname_251156.pdf | title = Reply to a parliamentary question about the Decoration of Honour | language = de|website=Parlament.gv.at | page=1923 | access-date = 2013-01-13}}