To the leaders of the Republic of Srpska Milorad Dodik, Nenad Stevandic i Radovan Viskovic they could be banned from traveling to Germany and Austria.
Due to the weakening of the state, the blockade of the European route of Bosnia and Herzegovina, Germany and Austria are initiating measures to ban the entry of three politicians from the RS into these countries, it was confirmed by the German Embassy in Bosnia and Herzegovina, writes Deutsche Welle.
"We will not tolerate such behavior," it was stated.
"Milorad Dodik went to a new extreme with his secessionist provocations and actions and clearly crossed the red lines from a legal point of view. He thereby threatens the security, stability, constitutional order and territorial integrity of this country of the Western Balkans. We will no longer tolerate such behavior," Austrian Foreign Minister Beate Meinl-Reisinger and German Minister of State for Europe and Climate Anna Lihrmann said in a joint statement on April 3 in Sarajevo after a meeting with the chair of the Council of Ministers of Bosnia and Herzegovina Herzegovina by Borjan Kristo.
Given that the Court of Bosnia and Herzegovina, in addition to Dodik, also accuses Speaker of the Assembly Nenad Stevandić and Prime Minister Radovan Višković of attacking the country's constitutional order, it can be concluded that the ban on entering Germany and Austria applies to the three of them, although this is not explicitly stated anywhere.
An investigation is being conducted against the three of them due to the suspicion that their activities violated the constitutional order of Bosnia and Herzegovina. A central warrant has also been issued for them because they refuse to respond to calls for hearings in that investigation.
Earlier this week, following the intervention of Serbia and Hungary, Interpol refused to issue an international arrest warrant for Dodik and Stevandic.
Urgent steps against the perpetrators of the constitutional crisis
In the announcement of the German Embassy from Thursday (April 4), it is stated that the ministers from Germany and Austria said that further steps must be taken urgently against the perpetrators of the constitutional crisis in Bosnia and Herzegovina.
"Austria and Germany therefore, in close coordination together with other partners, resolutely oppose the responsible politicians from the RS entity. To this end, measures are being initiated to prevent the entry of three responsible politicians from Republika Srpska into Austria and Germany in the future. Milorad Dodik has gone to a new extreme with his secessionist provocations and actions and has clearly crossed the red lines from a legal point of view. By doing so, he threatens the security, stability, constitutional order and territorial integrity of this Western country." Balkans. We will no longer tolerate such behavior," the statement said.
In the statement, the actors involved in Bosnia and Herzegovina are invited to "contribute to the calming of the situation and stability in order to avoid further escalation of the situation."
Orban blocks EU sanctions
Until now, the European Union has not been able to agree on sanctions against Dodik, due to the opposition of Hungarian leader Viktor Orbán.
Together with Serbian President Aleksandar Vučić, Orban filed a complaint with Interpol for issuing an international warrant.
Germany has reacted to the unconstitutional activities of the RS leadership before, by freezing projects in that entity with a total value of around 2022 million euros in April 105, and in August 2023 they completely withdrew.
As previously stated for RSE from the German Embassy in Sarajevo, "it would be difficult to explain" to German taxpayers why they support "with a significant amount an entity which, according to the statements of its president, is openly thinking about leaving Bosnia and Herzegovina".
Hungary has announced that it will take over the projects whose financing the German government has given up.
Source: Radio Free Europe/Deutsche Welle
