Christian Schmidt, the international high representative for Bosnia, has called for an immediate halt to activities that undermine the Dayton Peace Agreement. This comes after lawmakers in the autonomous Serb region of Republika Srpska passed legislation to bar the Bosnian national police and judiciary. This move was seen as an attempt to destabilize the country after Republika Srpska’s separatist leader, Milorad Dodik, was banned from politics for six years and sentenced to prison for defying decisions made by Schmidt.
The Dayton Accords, which ended the intercommunal war in Bosnia in the 1990s, split the country into two autonomous regions: the Muslim-Croat federation and Republika Srpska. Schmidt, who oversees the implementation of the accords, accused the political leaders in Republika Srpska of undermining the state.
Dodik’s actions, including suspending the rulings of Bosnia’s constitutional court and Schmidt, have raised concerns of a constitutional crisis in Bosnia. He has long advocated for Republika Srpska to break away and unite with Serbia, rejecting the court’s ruling and pushing for the ban on state institutions.
In response, Bosnian Muslim and Croat leaders have condemned Dodik’s actions, with the prime minister of the Muslim-Croat region refusing to engage in political cooperation until the actions against the constitution and peace agreement are stopped. The Bosnian Muslim member of the presidency also criticized Republika Srpska officials, calling their moves an attack on the country’s constitutional order.
Schmidt’s call for an immediate cessation of activities undermining the peace agreement underscores the growing tensions in Bosnia and the risks of further destabilization if the situation is not addressed promptly.
Note: The image is for illustrative purposes only and is not the original image associated with the presented article. Due to copyright reasons, we are unable to use the original images. However, you can still enjoy the accurate and up-to-date content and information provided.
