The European Union has announced plans to deploy peacekeeping forces to Bosnia and Herzegovina following the suspension of legislative measures enacted by the ethnic-Serb majority entity, Republika Srpska (RS), by the country’s Constitutional Court.
On Wednesday, reserve peacekeeping forces arrived in Bosnia amid escalating political tensions. Their deployment follows NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte’s recent reaffirmation of the alliance’s strong commitment to preserving Bosnia and Herzegovina’s territorial integrity and stability.
Military personnel from Italy and the Czech Republic landed at Sarajevo International Airport, where they were received by the European Union Force in Bosnia and Herzegovina (EUFOR). Additional reinforcements, including Romanian troops, helicopters, and military equipment, will arrive in the coming days.
During his visit, Rutte emphasized NATO’s “unwavering” support for Bosnia’s sovereignty, highlighting concerns over a series of political manoeuvres undertaken by Republika Srpska’s leadership, which have contributed to increased tensions nearly three decades after the conclusion of the Bosnian War.
Milorad Dodik, the President of Republika Srpska, has recently introduced legislation aimed at restricting the jurisdiction of state-level security and judicial institutions within the entity’s territory, which comprises nearly half of Bosnia and Herzegovina. In response, the state-level judiciary issued arrest warrants on Wednesday for three senior Bosnian Serb officials, including Dodik.
Dodik, who has previously stated that he does not recognize the authority of Bosnia and Herzegovina’s state-level Prosecutor’s Office, has dismissed the warrant’s legitimacy, asserting that he will not comply with any summons to appear in Sarajevo for questioning.
The controversial legislation was endorsed by Republika Srpska’s National Assembly in reaction to a first-instance ruling issued by the Court of Bosnia and Herzegovina (BiH) on February 26. The court sentenced Dodik to a one-year prison term and imposed a six-year political disqualification for defying decisions issued by the international community’s High Representative, German diplomat Christian Schmidt, which the court deemed a criminal offence. However, the ruling is not final, as Dodik retains the right to appeal.
In Bosnia and Herzegovina, the Office of the High Representative (OHR) serves as the principal authority in mediating high-profile political disputes and ensuring compliance with the Dayton Peace Agreement, the internationally brokered accord that formally ended the conflict in 1995.
