Escobar softens Dodik's moves: It's not time for drastic actions yet

Ahead of participating in the international conference Dubrovnik Forum on the panel "Western Balkans: New Euro-Atlantic Momentum", the US Special Envoy for the Western Balkans Gabriel Escobar commented on the situation in the region, particularly addressing the crisis in Bosnia and Herzegovina and Kosovo.

Escobar called Milorad Dodik "Putin's biggest mouthpiece", threatened new sanctions if Republika Srpska decides to launch a referendum on the status of that entity, and admitted that the situation in BiH in certain parts reminds him of the pre-war situation in the 1990s.

"Milorad Dodik is one of the biggest heralds of Putin's regime. He praises Putin more than Lukashenko does. This is a disturbing trend. Russia is relying on Dodik to derail Bosnia and Herzegovina from its path towards the EU. We are seriously concerned about what is happening there," Escobar told reporters in Zagreb, writes Jutarnji list.

Addressing speculations that the Office of the High Representative for Bosnia and Herzegovina (OHR) plans to dismiss the President of Republika Srpska, Escobar said he could not comment on the OHR's actions, but added that he believes the point has not yet been reached where such drastic actions are necessary.

A few days ago, Dodik announced the possibility of launching a referendum on the status of Republika Srpska by New Year, as one form of "political struggle" through which he intends to oppose the threats of the international community.

"If that really happens, we will react very sharply. There will be no breakup of Bosnia and Herzegovina. The US will not abandon the Dayton Peace Agreement and our obligations to that country. We hope Dodik will not go that far and that it is just political rhetoric. But if not, we are prepared to react with political means such as sanctions and Bonn powers," Escobar stated.

Some politicians in BiH advocate for NATO to send its troops to Brčko to stop Dodik's secessionist ideas for RS. Escobar briefly stated that he "has not heard of any plan to transfer NATO troops to Brčko", adding that there is an EUFOR mission that ensures a safe environment in BiH and protects its territorial integrity from internal and external attacks.

Escobar agreed with the statement of the US Ambassador to Bosnia and Herzegovina, Michael Murphy, who said that the similarity to the pre-war situation in BiH is "disturbing", but that the US is present now.

"A big difference between 1991 and now is that Croatia and Serbia do not want to see a war in BiH. Besides, we have many safeguards that protect the country from violence. However, I think the level of hostility and ethnic rivalry and the harsh rhetoric coming from certain leaders strongly resembles 1991. It is irresponsible, useless, and unnecessary. The memory of 1991 is invoked by people who want to see BiH in that context of ethnic hatred," Escobar believes.

The US Special Envoy for the Western Balkans also touched upon the economic situation in the country, saying that BiH is the most corrupt country in the region, which is why tens of thousands of young people leave it every year.