The Secretary-General of the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE), Feridun Sinirlio?lu, has called for a resolution to the political crisis in Bosnia and Herzegovina (BiH).
During an official visit to Sarajevo, Sinirlio?lu met with BiH Foreign Minister Elmedin Konakovi? to discuss the actions of Milorad Dodik, the president of Republika Srpska (RS), and decisions by the RS National Assembly (NSRS) that contradict the country’s constitution.
Sinirlio?lu expressed concern over the impact of the current political situation on regional stability. “The OSCE supports the sovereignty, territorial integrity, and political independence of BiH. We urge political leaders to respect the constitutional order and refrain from divisive rhetoric,” he stated.
He emphasized that those who violate the constitutional order have no legitimate basis and that the crisis can be overcome through democracy and dialogue.
Konakovi? highlighted Dodik’s role as an obstacle to BiH’s European integration. “On our European path stands one man and his political organization: Milorad Dodik. In his efforts to solve his own problems, he is jeopardizing the interests of the state and all its citizens,” Konakovi? said.
The political crisis stems from Dodik’s defiance of decisions by the High Representative’s Office (OHR), for which he was sentenced to a suspended prison term and a political ban. The NSRS subsequently voted to block state institutions from operating within the RS entity, prompting the Constitutional Court to annul these decisions. Dodik has continued to pursue separatist policies, including discussions of a new RS constitution and army.
The BiH Prosecutor’s Office has issued arrest warrants for Dodik, NSRS Speaker Nenad Stevandi?, and RS Prime Minister Radovan Viškovi? for “threatening constitutional order.”
