In Sarajevo, Bosnia-Herzegovina, NATO’s Secretary General reiterated the alliance’s steadfast support for Bosnia’s territorial integrity amid rising tensions due to Bosnian Serb separatist actions. The commitment was made during a visit to the Balkan nation’s capital on Monday, where he met with the country’s tripartite presidency. This body was established as part of the peace accord that concluded the 1992-95 Bosnian War, a conflict that resulted in the deaths of over 100,000 people.
The Secretary General emphasized NATO’s dedication to the region’s stability and Bosnia and Herzegovina’s security, assuring that the hard-earned peace would not be put at risk. Denouncing any measures that challenge the Dayton Peace Agreement, constitutional norms, or national institutions, he also highlighted the dangers of inflammatory rhetoric and actions, labeling them as direct threats to the country’s stability and security.
These declarations were made shortly after the Bosnian Serb parliament enacted laws preventing central judicial authorities and police from functioning within Republika Srpska, a Serb-led entity in Bosnia that spans nearly half of the nation’s territory. The remaining part of Bosnia functions as a federation led by Bosniaks, who are mostly Muslim, and Croats.
The legislative move by the Bosnian Serbs was initiated following the sentencing of Milorad Dodik, the pro-Russia President of Republika Srpska, known for his disintegration stance regarding Bosnia. After defying the leading international peace envoy in the country, Dodik received a prison sentence and a ban from state office; however, he has described the verdict as anti-Serb and dismissed it. This has drawn criticism from the United States and significant European countries, while Russian President Vladimir Putin expressed his “solidarity” with Dodik.
As a result, concerns have emerged about potential incidents between the Bosnian police and those dominated by Serbs akin to the outbreaks at the war’s onset. The Bosnian War began when the country’s Serbs opposed independence from former Yugoslavia, aspiring to create a separate mini-state intended for unification with Serbia.
Expressing his apprehensions regarding the security situation, the Secretary General assured that the current climate is not reminiscent of 1992, promising not to let a security void develop. In response to these rising tensions, the European Union’s peacekeeping operation in Bosnia, known as EUFOR, announced it would increase its military presence in the country.
Following discussions with NATO’s Secretary General, Zeljka Cvijanovic, the Serb representative in Bosnia’s presidency, voiced her belief that placing blame solely on one party was unjust. In contrast, Denis Becirovic, the Bosniak member of the presidency, condemned the Serb measures, branding them as an aggressive attack on Bosnia’s constitutional stability. He remarked that any disruption in this part of Europe would primarily serve Moscow’s interests.
