Bećirović: US sanctions justified, EU should sanction Dodik in accordance with European Parliament resolutions

(Patria) - The bodies of the BiH entity RS have brutally struck at the foundations of the Dayton Peace Agreement and the constitutional order of Bosnia and Herzegovina. Anti-Dayton policy must not be underestimated or relativized. Therefore, the new US sanctions are an important message to everyone in the region that developed Western democracies support the preservation of peace and stability in Bosnia and Herzegovina, according to a reaction from member of the Presidency of BiH, Denis Bećirović.

"I consistently point out the necessity of sanctioning politicians who endanger the independence, sovereignty, and territorial integrity of Bosnia and Herzegovina. Tolerating unconstitutional actions, by which the leaders of the BiH entity RS endanger the hard-won peace, can have unforeseeable consequences, especially in the context of the latest geopolitical upheavals. Therefore, it is very important that the principled policy of the USA, as well as the UK, is also followed by EU countries.

By imposing justified sanctions by the US Government on Milorad Dodik in 2017 and 2022, sanctions by the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland in 2022, and the latest US sanctions, key individuals who undermine the Dayton Peace Agreement have been clearly marked.

Now is the crucial moment for the EU to respect the positions of the European Parliament, which has called for sanctions against Dodik's regime in several resolutions. Any delay in EU sanctions will be interpreted by Dodik and his followers as a signal and encouragement to continue their separatist policy.

The region is at a crossroads and must choose between Dodik's war policy and the preservation of peace. The major Western powers have also noticed this, and that is why they have correctly stated that Dodik's policy threatens the stability, sovereignty, and territorial integrity of Bosnia and Herzegovina and the hard-won peace. The international community, witnesses to the Dayton Peace Agreement, and the OHR must now show strength and unity. Almost three decades of building peace and security for all people in Bosnia and Herzegovina are jeopardized by Dodik's adventurous policy.

The coming weeks and months will decide on the preservation of the Dayton Peace Agreement. We must not be fooled for a moment into thinking that Dodik's regime will stop after the latest US sanctions. New dangerous attacks on the Dayton Peace Agreement will follow, based on direct instructions from Dodik's mentors outside the borders of Bosnia and Herzegovina.

The peace, security, and constitutional order of Bosnia and Herzegovina must be defended by all available legal and other legitimate means, in accordance with national and international law. This must be done, above all, by the institutions provided for by the Dayton Peace Agreement and the Constitution of BiH, with much more concrete support from the West than has been the case so far.

Confirming the alliance and friendship with the USA, all democratic forces in Bosnia and Herzegovina, it is very important that we systematically stop the continuous attacks on the state, and after sanctioning individuals, enter a phase in which the mechanisms through which the blockades of the democratic development of Bosnia and Herzegovina are implemented will also be suspended. Democratic forces in our country need the help and support of friendly countries, primarily those gathered around the Peace Implementation Council in BiH, so that all citizens can finally be given a chance to live in a peaceful and stable Bosnia and Herzegovina", it was announced from Bećirović's cabinet.