SARAJEVO, March 28 (Reuters) – In a significant move that could impact the functionality of Bosnia’s national government, Milorad Dodik, the Bosnian Serb leader known for his separatist stance, declared on Thursday that Serbs would bring the government’s activities to a standstill. This drastic measure is contingent upon the revocation of election laws imposed by an international envoy and the expulsion of several Western ambassadors from Bosnia.
This announcement came in the wake of changes to the election law introduced by Bosnia’s peace overseer, Christian Schmidt, on Tuesday. Schmidt’s amendments, aimed at enhancing the law’s integrity through technical improvements, were a response to the failure of Bosnia’s ethnically divided leaders to find common ground on electoral reform.
The Bosnian Serb officials have consistently questioned Schmidt’s legitimacy as the High Representative for Bosnia and Herzegovina. Their primary contention is that Schmidt, who served as a German government minister, was not officially endorsed by the U.N. Security Council. In light of this, they have expressed their refusal to acknowledge his decision, proposing instead to enact their own electoral law.
According to the Dayton peace accords, which brought an end to the 1990s war in Bosnia—a conflict that claimed about 100,000 lives—the country was divided into two autonomous entities: the Serb Republic, which is predominantly Serb, and the Federation, inhabited by Bosniaks and Croats. The High Representative’s role is crucial as the principal interpreter of the peace agreement, vested with the authority to impose laws or dismiss officials deemed obstructive to peace.
Dodik, who has previously faced sanctions from the United States and Britain for his attempts to obstruct the peace agreement, warned that if Schmidt’s decision is not rescinded within seven days and declared null by the national parliament, Serb representatives will boycott its proceedings.
This is not the first occasion Serb representatives have obstructed the decision-making process in the national government. Bosnia is now eager to pass the necessary reforms to initiate accession negotiations with the European Union, following an invitation from EU leaders.
Addressing an emergency session of the Serb Republic’s assembly, Dodik proposed that the national parliament should enact election laws, positioning itself as the sole legislative body and rejecting the implementation of Schmidt’s laws. He also advocated for the expulsion of the U.S., Britain, and Germany’s ambassadors, as well as Schmidt himself, labeling them as enemies of Bosnia.
Dodik issued a warning that unless his demands are met, his ruling party, the SNSD, will end its coalition with the current government partners and block its operations. Additionally, he urged the regional parliament to swiftly pass a draft election law that would allow the Serb Republic’s institutions to independently conduct polls within the region, further solidifying his stance against external influence on Bosnia’s electoral processes.
