The EUROZINE article examines the legacy of the Dayton Agreement, signed thirty years ago to formally end the Bosnian War. While widely celebrated as a triumph of the liberal post–Cold War order, the treaty followed three and a half years of brutal conflict and political deadlock, with Western intervention largely shaped by media coverage of atrocities rather than strategic interests. Negotiated in Dayton, Ohio, and initialled in November 1995, the agreement established the framework for Bosnia and Herzegovina’s complex political structure, including the constitution codified in Annex 4, which remains central to the country’s governance today. The signing ceremony was a high-profile international affair, attended by the presidents of the United States, France, and leaders from Europe and Russia, projecting an image of a polished and benign liberal order. Yet, the article highlights the contrast between this perception and the reality of limited great-power stakes in the conflict, noting that the United States, the United Kingdom, France, and Russia had minimal strategic interests in Bosnia. The piece contextualizes Dayton within the broader historical and geopolitical legacies of the Balkans, from imperial borders to the Tito era, illustrating how local expectations of global attention clashed with restrained foreign involvement.