Germany and Austria announced strong support for the territorial integrity of Bosnia and Herzegovina (BiH) and new punitive measures against leading politicians in Republika Srpska (RS) who pursue separatist policies, BGNES reported.
Three politicians from the RS state leadership have been banned from entering the territory of Germany and Austria. No such measure is being taken at EU level because of the veto of Hungary, which has close ties with Banja Luka.
In Sarajevo, Austrian Foreign Minister Beate Meinl-Reisinger and German Minister for Europe and Climate Anna Lührmann discussed the situation in the country. The main topic was the constitutional crisis triggered by the separatist actions of the Republika Srpska leadership.
Meinl-Reisinger and Lührmann agree that it is urgent to take further steps against those responsible for the constitutional crisis. They shared this assessment in a conversation with Borjana Kristo, President of the BiH Council of Ministers.
"Attacks against the constitutional integrity of Bosnia and Herzegovina by leading Republika Srpska politicians, which aim to deliberately weaken the state as a whole, are unacceptable and pose a threat to security and stability in Bosnia and Herzegovina and the entire region. They also block the further EU accession process and threaten the future of the country," the ministers said.
Austria and Germany are therefore taking decisive action against the responsible politicians of the Republika Srpska entity in close coordination and together with other European partners. To this end, measures are being taken to prevent three responsible RS politicians from travelling to Austria and Germany in the future.
All actors in Bosnia and Herzegovina are now called upon to contribute to calming the situation and ensuring stability in order to avoid further exacerbation of the situation. Obstacles to progress in the EU accession process must be removed and the reform impasse overcome. That is why the Austrian Foreign Minister, Beate Meinl-Reisinger, and the German Minister of State for Europe and Climate, Anna Lührmann, are calling on all decision-makers to boldly take the next steps towards EU reform.
"Milorad Dodik has taken his separatist provocations and actions to a new extreme, and has also clearly crossed red lines from a legal perspective. In doing so, he threatens the territorial integrity, security, constitutional order and stability of the Western Balkans. We will no longer tolerate such behaviour. At the same time, I am convinced that the future of Bosnia and Herzegovina lies in the EU. We also want to send a political signal and to reassure all pro-European forces that we will continue to actively support them in their efforts to achieve Bosnia and Herzegovina's EU membership. Especially for the people of Republika Srpska, because their path towards a European future cannot be hindered by a few politicians," Foreign Minister Meynl-Reisinger was quoted as saying by the Austrian Foreign Ministry.
"Those responsible for the attacks against the constitutional order of Bosnia and Herzegovina threaten peace and security in the region, as well as Bosnia and Herzegovina's future in the EU. That is why our measures are aimed precisely at these people. The door to the EU has never been so open! We call on all those responsible to get back on the EU reform path and take the next steps on it. Bosnia and Herzegovina has a place in the EU and Germany will continue to stand by Bosnia and Herzegovina!".
BGNES recalls that on 26 February, Republika Srpska President Milorad Dodik was convicted in the first instance by the BiH Court of First Instance for failing to comply with the orders of Christian Schmidt, the High Representative of the international community in BiH. The court issued a warrant for Dodik's arrest and asked Interpol to issue an international warrant. The reason is that the president has not responded to a summons to appear before the prosecutor's office on charges of violating the constitutional order.
The policies of Dodik, an ally of Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic and Russia's Vladimir Putin, are in direct violation of the Dayton peace accord that ended the war in Bosnia in the 1990s. Dodik, his close associates and members of his family have come under US sanctions for corruption, erosion of institutions and threats to peace and stability in BiH and the wider region. | BGNES
