Any attempt to divide Bosnia and Herzegovina is unacceptable, European Union foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas said in Sarajevo on Tuesday.
Speaking during her first visit to Bosnia, Kallas said the leadership of Bosnia's Serb entity, Republika Srpska, "is undermining the country's constitutional order and threatening the fundamental human rights of all citizens."
"We will not tolerate any threat to the territorial integrity, sovereignty and constitutional order of this country," said Kaja Kallas, addressing soldiers of EUFOR, the EU military mission in Bosnia, which also has an executive mandate from the United Nations to ensure the country's stability through the use of force.
The leaders of Republika Srpska, in particular President Milorad Dodik, are criticized by Western governments for trying to separate the Serbian entity from Bosnia.
In March, the Court of Bosnia and Herzegovina issued national arrest warrants for Dodik, Prime Minister Radovan Višković, and National Assembly Speaker Nenad Stevandić, accusing them of violating the constitutional order of Bosnia and Herzegovina with their actions.
All three have ignored calls from authorities to report for questioning.
Dodik is under sanctions by the United States and the United Kingdom, but the European Union has so far been unable to find common ground on sanctions against him, due to opposition from its member, Hungary.
Republika Srpska passed a draft of a new constitution in March, which would define the entity as a state of the Serbian people, grant it the right to self-determination, and establish its own army.
Kallas recalled that the EU sent hundreds of additional soldiers to Bosnia in March and that EUFOR supports the Bosnian Armed Forces through training and support for demining.
"We are concerned about this country and its future. Inciting rhetoric and attempts at division are dangerous, unacceptable and pose a direct threat to Bosnia," Kallas said.
Kallas was with the three members of the Presidency of Bosnia, Željko Cvijanović, Denis Beqirović and Željko Komšić.
After the meeting, Kallas reiterated the messages she had conveyed during her visit to EUFOR, emphasizing that the Constitution is the cornerstone of Bosnia and that its respect is mandatory, and once again condemned the attempts to attack the constitutional order, coming from Republika Srpska.
Different positions of members of the Bosnian Presidency
Zeljka Cvijanovic, a member of the Bosnian Presidency from Republika Srpska, said the meeting "was an opportunity for our guest to see how we have different opinions, what the problems are and what the solutions are."
"We need internal agreements. The problems arose because an unelected foreigner, named Christian Schmidt, made changes to the law. We are committed to the European path, but it can only be the product of internal work, not any imposition," said Cvijanovic.
The international High Representative for Bosnia has the authority, confirmed by the Bosnian Constitutional Court and the European Court of Human Rights in Strasbourg, to impose laws and dismiss officials.
He also amended the Bosnian Criminal Code and made his decisions binding.
Dodik was sentenced in February to one year in prison and banned from holding office for six years for disregarding the decisions of the international High Representative.
Zeljko Komsic, a member of the Presidency from the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina, briefly responded to Cvijanovic, saying that “calls are coming from Sarajevo to arrest Dodik and the leaders of Republika Srpska.”
"We did not say 'arrest', but the Bosnian Court, as an institution of Bosnia, says so. The court's decisions are implemented whether we like it or not," said Komšić.
Denis Beqirović, also a member of the Bosnian Presidency from the Federation of Bosnia, said that "there is a dangerous illusion in Republika Srpska that a peaceful dissolution of Bosnia is possible, which could lead to catastrophe."
Beqirović added that "until we stop the attack on the constitutional order in Bosnia, no one should expect us to deal with any other topic."
Kallas is on a tour of the Western Balkans, which began with a visit to Montenegro on Monday and before arriving in Bosnia, he stayed in Albania on Tuesday morning.
In Tirana, she met with Albanian President Bajram Begaj and Prime Minister Edi Rama. She said that Albania is a strong partner of the EU and that as a member of NATO it is fully aligned with the bloc's foreign and security policy.
In Podgorica, Kallas met with Prime Minister Milojko Spajic and in Cetinje with Montenegrin President Jakov Milatovic.
Kallas said in Podgorica that she was concerned about regional stability and announced that it would be discussed during her visit to Sarajevo. She also said that normalizing relations between Belgrade and Pristina is important.
During her confirmation hearings as EU foreign policy chief, Kallas promised to work to make EU enlargement a reality.
All six Western Balkan countries - except Kosovo - as well as Ukraine, Moldova, Georgia and Turkey are candidates for EU membership.
Kosovo has applied for membership in the European bloc, but its application has not yet been reviewed.
She has not announced a visit to Kosovo and Serbia during this week's tour of the Balkans./ REL (A2 Televizion)
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