German Minister for Europe advocates for continuation of sanctions against Milorad Dodik

(Patria) - The German Bundestag held a session today to discuss further support for the EUFOR mission in Bosnia and Herzegovina, with the federal government calling for its extension. Likewise, some deputies took the opportunity to speak about the current situation in BiH, stating that it remains complicated, and also called for the continuation of sanctions against the President of Republika Srpska, Milorad Dodik.

Bundestag deputies stated today about Althea that it is a mission whose primary goal is to preserve peace and stability in the country, and that it should be extended for another year, with the possibility of deploying up to 50 Bundeswehr members.

The current mandate expires at the end of June, and as German officials point out, the situation in BiH remains concerning – especially due to increasingly pronounced separatist tendencies in the entity of Republika Srpska.

The international military mission EUFOR Althea is tasked with supporting and implementing the Dayton Peace Agreement, which ended the war in BiH in 1995. In addition to preserving security, the mission includes training the Armed Forces of BiH, as well as other forms of advisory and monitoring assistance.

The mission currently involves about 1,500 soldiers from several EU member states, including 35 German soldiers. The Bundeswehr was present in BiH from 2004 to 2012, and returned to the mission in 2023 due to the deterioration of the security situation.

German Minister for Europe Gunther Krichbaum (CDU) warned that the political situation in BiH remains "very complicated." He particularly pointed to continuous attempts at secession by Republika Srpska, led by Milorad Dodik.

"Dodik wants to further deepen divisions in the country," said Krichbaum, adding that this makes it necessary to continue the EUFOR mission. He also advocated for the continuation of sanctions against the President of RS as a deterrent measure.

According to him, the Dayton Agreement was a good solution because it stopped the war, but it deepened divisions in BiH, which, he claims, prevent equal political rights for Jews and Roma.

"Even today we have schools in BiH where students can attend classes depending on which entity they belong to – he said, probably referring to 'two schools under one roof,' though he apparently made a mistake when he said students are divided based on which entity they come from, instead of being divided by nationality," he said.

He also recalled German Minister Anna Lührmann who, as he said, traveled to BiH, where in Banja Luka, due to Dodik, he added, she felt uncomfortable.

Schmid: No combat conflicts since 1995 – that is a success
Nils Schmid (SPD), Parliamentary State Secretary at the German Ministry of Defence, emphasized the importance of the presence of international troops in BiH.

"Since 1995, there have been no combat conflicts in BiH, which is also a credit to the EU mission," said Schmid, noting that this is an "important contribution to stability," German media report.

Krichbaum and Schmid agreed that Bosnia and Herzegovina, like other countries in the region, must be clearly offered a perspective of membership in the European Union. The proposal for extending the mandate of the Bundeswehr in the EUFOR mission will soon be further discussed in the committees of the German Bundestag, N1 reports.