The US and EU have slammed new laws passed by Bosnian Serb authorities, branding them a direct threat to Bosnia’s stability.
Bosnian Serb leader Milorad Dodik signed controversial legislation barring Bosnia’s national courts and police from operating in Serb-controlled territory.
The provocative move sparked outrage, with Bosnian officials warning it breaches the country’s constitution and the Dayton Peace Agreement, which ended the bloody 1992-1995 war.
Washington expressed deep concern, urging Serb politicians to abandon destabilizing actions and inflammatory rhetoric.
“Leaders must engage in responsible dialogue, uphold democratic institutions, and ease political tensions,” the US Embassy in Bosnia stated.
The EU warned the laws seriously harm Bosnia’s legal order and jeopardize citizens’ freedoms, urging Dodik and allies to respect national sovereignty.
The Bosnian Serbs pushed the legislation through shortly after Dodik received a one-year prison sentence for separatist activities—though he’s appealing and remains free.
Sarajevo officials called the move an attempted coup and a major step towards the country’s breakup.
Dodik, who openly seeks union with neighboring Serbia, faces new investigations over threats to Bosnia’s constitutional order.
Despite rising tensions, Dodik insists: “We are not the ones who want war.”
