Former OSCE Diplomat Jonathan Moore Lobbies for Republika Srpska in Washington

Former OSCE mission head Jonathan Moore is working for Republika Srpska authorities. He assists them on changes to state property legislation. The American lobbying firm Lucas Compton hired him for this task. Republika Srpska pays the firm 40,000 dollars each month under a one-year contract.

Moore has visited the region twice since February to meet local officials. The lobbyists have also donated campaign funds to several members of the United States Congress. Moore stated that all work will follow the Dayton Peace Agreement. However, the United States Embassy and the Constitutional Court maintain that state property belongs strictly to the state of Bosnia and Herzegovina.

Republika Srpska insists that all public property on its territory belongs exclusively to the entity. This position opposes the requirements of international bodies and the high representative. In addition, the property dispute affects major energy investments. An American company plans to build a gas pipeline in Bosnia and Herzegovina, and the project depends on property regulations.

Moore served as an American diplomat for thirty-three years. He previously served as deputy ambassador in Sarajevo and later led the OSCE mission in the country. Republika Srpska has spent nearly 10 million dollars on United States lobbying firms to gain support for its political objectives.