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

(Patria) - The bodies of the BiH entity of 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 statement by member of the Presidency of BiH Denis Bećirović.

"I consistently point out the necessity of sanctioning politicians who threaten the independence, sovereignty, and territorial integrity of Bosnia and Herzegovina. Tolerating unconstitutional actions, by which the leaders of the BiH entity of RS threaten 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 US, as well as the UK, is 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 undermining 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 preserving peace. The greatest Western powers have also noticed this, which is why they 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.

We are facing weeks and months in which the preservation of the Dayton Peace Agreement will be decided. We must not be fooled for a moment into thinking that Dodik's regime will stop after the latest US sanctions. New dangerous blows to the Dayton Peace Agreement are to 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 US, 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 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, especially those gathered around the Peace Implementation Council in BiH, in order to finally give all citizens the chance to live in a peaceful and stable Bosnia and Herzegovina," the statement from Bećirović's cabinet said.