EU foreign policy chief: efforts to divide Bosnia are unacceptable

Speaking during her first visit to Bosnia, Kallas said Bosnia Serb entity leadership Republika Srpska “is undermining the country's constitutional order and threatening the fundamental human rights of all citizens”.

“We will not tolerate any threats to the territorial integrity, sovereignty and constitutional order of this country”, Kaya Kallas said, addressing EUFOR soldiers, the EU military mission in Bosnia, which also has an executive mandate from the United Nations to ensure the stability of the country through the use of force.

Republika Srpska leaders, in particular President Milorad Dodik, are criticised by the Western government for making efforts to separate it from the Serbian entity from Bosnia.

In March, the Court of Bosnia and Herzegovina issued national arrests for Dodik, Prime Minister Radovan Viskovovic and National Assembly Chairman Nenad Stevja persecuted, accusing them of violating Bosnia and Herzegovina's constitutional order by their actions, following Periscope.

All three have ignored the authorities ' calls for questioning.

Dodik is under sanctions from the United States and the United Kingdom, but the European Union has so far been unable to find common language for sanctions against him due to opposition from its member, Hungary.

Republika Srpska passed a draft of the new constitution in March, which would define this entity as a state of the Serbian people, give the right to self-rule and establish its army.

Kallas recalled that the EU sent hundreds of additional soldiers to Bosnia in March and that EUFOR supports the Armed Forces of Bosnia through training and support for mine removal.

“We are concerned about this country and its future. The promotional rhetoric and efforts for partition are dangerous, unacceptable, and pose a direct threat to Bosnia”, Kallas said.

Kallas joined the three Bosnia Presidency members, Zeljko Cvianovic, Denis Beciroviq and Zeljko Komsic.

After the meeting, Kallas reiterated the messages she had forwarded during her visit to EUFOR, stressing that the Constitution is the cornerstone of Bosnia and that its respect is mandatory and once again condemned efforts to attack constitutional order, coming from Republika Srpska.

Various Attitudes of Bosnian Presidency Members

Zeljka Cvianovi, a member of the Bosnia Presidency from Republika Srpska, said the meeting “was an opportunity for our guest to see how we have different opinions, what the problems are and what are the” solutions.

“We need internal agreements. Problems arose because an unelected stranger named Christian Schmidt made changes in the law. We are dedicated to the European road, but it may only be the product of internal work, not some 818x1>, Cvianovic said.

The international High Representative for Bones has the authority, confirmed by the Constitutional Court of Bosnia and the European Court for Human Rights in Strasbourg, to impose laws and dismiss officials.

He also changed the Bosnian Criminal Code and made his decisions mandatory.

Dodik was sentenced in February to one year in prison and denied the exercise of office for six years because of ignoring the international High Representative's decisions.

Zeljko Komsic, a member of the presidency from the Federation of Bosnia, briefly responded to Cvianovic, saying that “from Sarajevo come to arrest Dodik and Republika Srpska leader”.

We did not say arrest, but says the Bosnian Court as the Bosnian institution. The court's decisions we want or fail are implemented”, Komsic said.

Denis Becirovic, also a member of the Bosnia Presidency from the Federation of Bosnia, said that “has a dangerous illusion in Republika Srpska that a peaceful break-up of Bosnia is possible, which could lead to catastrophe”.

Becirovic added that until we stop the attack on constitutional order in Bosnia, no one should expect us to deal with another”.

Kallas is on a tour of the Western Balkans, which he started visiting Montenegro on Monday and before arriving in Bosnia he stayed in Albania on Tuesday morning.

In Tirana, she met with Albania's president, Bajram Begaj and Prime Minister Edi Rama. She said Albania is a strong partner of the EU and that as a NATO member it is fully in line with the bloc's foreign and security policy.

In Podgorica, Kallas met with Prime Minister Milojko Spajic and in Cetinje with Montenegrin President Jakov Milatovic.

Kallas said in Podgorica that she was concerned about regional stability and announced she would be discussed during her visit to Sarajevo. She also said normalising relations between Belgrade and Pristina is important.

During hearings to confirm it in the post of EU diplomatic chief, Kallas had promised that it would work for EU enlargement to become a reality.

All six Western Balkan countries, except Kosovo, as well as Ukraine, Moldova, Georgia and Turkey, are EU membership candidates.

Kosovo has applied for membership in the European bloc, but its application has not yet been reviewed.

She has not warned a visit to Kosovo and Serbia during this week's Balkan tour./ REL