PIC: We strongly condemn the RS authorities' attacks on BiH, entities do not have the right to secession

(Patria) - Political Directors of the Steering Board (SB) of the Peace Implementation Council (PIC) met on June 3 and 4 in Sarajevo to assess the comprehensive situation regarding the General Framework Agreement for Peace (GFAP) in Bosnia and Herzegovina.

Emphasizing that the implementation of the GFAP continues to be the foundation for a stable, secure, and prosperous BiH, the PIC SB members remind all parties of their obligation to fully respect the General Framework Agreement for Peace, all its Annexes, and the decisions of the High Representative.

The SB members reaffirm once again their unequivocal commitment to the territorial integrity and the fundamental structure of BiH as a single and sovereign state, consisting of two entities.

They reiterate that entities do not have the right to secession from BiH and that they legally exist only on the basis of the BiH Constitution.

The SB members remind the authorities in BiH that the BiH Constitution is an integral part of the General Framework Agreement for Peace and that the decisions of the Constitutional Court of BiH are final and binding and must be implemented.

They have once again confirmed their full support for the High Representative in ensuring full respect for the General Framework Agreement for Peace in BiH and the implementation of his mandate in accordance with Annex 10 and relevant UN Security Council resolutions, which remains unchanged.

The SB members underline that the international community continues to retain the necessary instruments to ensure the implementation of the General Framework Agreement for Peace.

They emphasize the need for full implementation of the 5+2 Agenda, which remains a condition for the closure of the Office of the High Representative.

The PIC SB members thanked the party leaders for their participation and the assessments they provided on issues related to the implementation of the GFAP, as well as on the realization of BiH's strategic goals, including its accession to the EU.

The PIC SB members highlighted the 30th anniversary of the General Framework Agreement for Peace, as the framework that guarantees the sovereignty, territorial integrity, and constitutional order of BiH.

They recalled that Annex 4 of the General Framework Agreement for Peace confirms that, although the official name of the Republic of Bosnia and Herzegovina was changed to ‘Bosnia and Herzegovina’, it continued its legal existence with an altered internal structure.

Given this, sovereignty belongs exclusively to Bosnia and Herzegovina as a single state, and its entities exist on the basis of the Constitution and do not possess their own sovereignty.

The SB members expressed support for the Srebrenica Memorial Center - Potočari and called on everyone to mark the 30th anniversary of the genocide in Srebrenica.

They also called on everyone in BiH and beyond to pay tribute to all victims of the war, working together to build trust and continue reconciliation among communities, and to prevent the recurrence of such events.

They strongly condemned the attacks by the authorities of Republika Srpska on the constitutional and legal order of BiH and the functionality of its institutions, thereby endangering the fundamental freedoms of citizens living in RS.

They condemned the initiative to adopt a new constitution for RS, emphasizing that the draft text supported by the entity assembly is not in line with the General Framework Agreement for Peace.

They noted that attacks on the General Framework Agreement for Peace, including the BiH Constitution, are contrary to the interests of citizens in BiH, especially citizens living in RS.

Furthermore, they called on the ruling coalition, opposition parties, civil society, and citizens of RS to reject the actions resulting from the limited interests of a few within the RS ruling coalition, which lead to instability, stagnation, political isolation, and economic degradation of RS.



The SB members remind that the BiH Constitution must be fully respected and that it has primacy over entity constitutions and laws. Entities do not have the authority to repeal or amend state-level laws adopted by the Parliamentary Assembly of BiH.

They welcome the response of BiH state institutions to these attacks and strongly condemn any attempt to limit the ability of any BiH institution to effectively exercise its competencies and implement its decisions throughout the territory of BiH.

The SB members condemned the attempts by the RS ruling coalition to impose its unilateral interpretations of the General Framework Agreement for Peace. They reiterated that the Constitutional Court of BiH has exclusive jurisdiction to resolve constitutional disputes and reminded the RS authorities of their constitutional obligation to immediately appoint judges from RS to the Constitutional Court of BiH.

They emphasized that the High Representative is the final authority regarding the interpretation of the civilian aspects of the General Framework Agreement for Peace and the appropriate mechanism for resolving disputes arising from Annex 10 of the General Framework Agreement for Peace.

The SB members emphasized the key role of the EUFOR Althea Mission in implementing the military aspects of the GFAP and supporting BiH authorities in maintaining a secure and stable environment. The SB members welcome the recent decision to deploy reserve forces.

In the interest of institutional stability and functionality of BiH and with the aim of progress on its path to the EU, it is necessary to urgently establish a functional coalition at the state level, committed to respecting the provisions of the GFAP, fulfilling citizens' aspirations for Euro-Atlantic integration, and resolving issues related to state functionality.

The SB members remind all relevant domestic actors that constructive participation in political dialogue is crucial for the full implementation of the 5+2 Agenda, including the resolution of state property issues.

The SB members expect BiH authorities to adopt the state budget for 2025 in the short term, which will support the effective and unimpeded functioning of state institutions.

To this end, they call on domestic authorities to urgently provide adequate budgetary funds for the financing of state institutions, including the maintenance of the 2026 General Elections, ensuring the necessary financial resources for the full implementation of measures aimed at improving the integrity and transparency of the electoral process.

The SB members thanked the Governor of the Central Bank of BiH, Jasmina Selimović, for her presentation on preserving the institutional stability and functionality of BiH and expressed their strong and unequivocal support for the independence and role of the Central Bank of BiH, and its leadership in achieving this goal.

They called on all relevant actors in BiH to fully respect and preserve the constitutional mandate of the Central Bank.

They condemned the verbal attacks by the President of RS, Milorad Dodik, directed against the Bosniak people, as well as the dangerous and increasingly frequent physical and verbal attacks on opposition politicians in RS, and called on the competent authorities to conduct investigations and take appropriate measures.

The SB members call on all public officials in BiH to act responsibly and contribute to creating an environment that enables overcoming divisions, building trust, and strengthening social cohesion. These are prerequisites for lasting peace, stability, and progress.

Following the decision of the European Council from March 2024 to open negotiations with Bosnia and Herzegovina on EU accession, the SB members expect all institutions and political actors in BiH to focus on dialogue and intensify efforts to implement reforms and take all appropriate steps.

Progress on the path to the EU will help guarantee stability and security in Bosnia and Herzegovina and will have multiple benefits for its citizens.

The PIC Steering Board will hold its next regular meeting on December 2 and 3, 2025.