MEPs CALL FOR EU TO SANCTION POLITICIANS FROM RS AND SERBIA OVER JANUARY 9TH

(Patria) - Together with my colleague from the Progressive Alliance of Socialists and Democrats, Delara Burkhardt, I call on the European Commission, Commissioner Oliver Varhelyi, and the European External Action Service to act before things go wrong in Bosnia and Herzegovina, says Dutch MEP Thijs Reuten.

“We do not want any unconstitutional parade on January 9th again, like last year. Neither in Banja Luka nor anywhere else,” it is added.

“We are extremely concerned about the announcements of the unconstitutional celebration of the founding of the 'Republika Srpska' which is being organized in East Sarajevo with the clear participation of RS officials and the announced participation of the son of Aleksandar Vučić and Serbian officials,” the message states. And it adds:

“We demand that the European Commission and the OHR in BiH proactively engage with the relevant authorities to prevent unconstitutional marches and statements that deny genocide and to support BiH institutions, including prosecutors, to take swift action if necessary. The deliberate undermining of BiH's unity by Milorad Dodik and his allies and the continuation of Serbian destabilizing actions throughout the region, including in BiH, must stop. Instead of silence and appeasement, the EU must announce before January 9th that, if necessary, it will consider restrictive measures against all (elected) state officials participating in unconstitutional activities and impose sanctions on RS officials, as well as further freezing of assets for RS officials or official representatives from Serbia participating in illegal celebrations,” the message concludes!”