Republika Srpska (RS) President Milorad Dodik has commanded the police force to arrest and deport High Representative Christian Schmidt should he enter RS territory, a decision detailed in a press conference Dodik held with Bosnia and Herzegovina Security Minister Nenad Nešić, who backs such measures against Schmidt. Reuters reported this development, emphasizing the longstanding political tension that exists between the High Representative’s office and the two bodies constituting Bosnia and Herzegovina.
In response, Schmidt asserted that he remains committed to his duties within RS and stated his intentions to honor his upcoming appointments within RS territory. He also refuted Dodik’s threat to arrest and deport him, asserting that he is protected by the Vienna Convention on Diplomatic Relations, thereby curtailing Dodik’s power to follow through on his threats. Additionally, the US Embassy in Bosnia and Herzegovina issued a statement, which can be viewed on Twitter, that underlines the unconstitutionality of Dodik’s threats to limit Schmidt’s mobility.
Amid these tensions, Dodik had a meeting with Manuel Sarrazin, the German Federal Government Special Representative for Western Balkan Countries, discussing the recent suspension by Germany of funding for four major infrastructure projects within the RS. Sarrazin cited Dodik’s secessionist policies as the reason for Germany’s decision, arguing that such policies have left no political room for Germany to maintain its cooperation with RS. This revelation originated from local news media reporting, which is accessible viaKlix.ba.
Bosnia and Herzegovina, split into the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina and the Republika Srpska, has seen a rise in ethnic tensions between the Bosniaks and Serbs. Following the Dayton Peace Agreement in 1995, the Office of the High Representative was tasked with overseeing implementation. However, Dodik has repeatedly claimed that the High Representative has no jurisdiction over BiH because the requisite UN Security Council resolution has not been passed. Unfortunately, Dodik’s defiance extends to his repeated calls for the independence of Republika Srpska, which may be found on Twitter.
Due to his resistance, Dodik was charged with failing to execute the High Representative’s decisions. Protests occurred at the unmarked internal border between Republika Srpska and the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina in early September, with Bosnian Serbs demonstrating in favor of Dodik, their separatist leader.
Read the full article from it’s original publish at Jurist – News.