Austria and Germany set signs: sanctions against Dodik in force!

Austria and Germany set signs: sanctions against Dodik in force!

In a current political context, the Bosnian Foreign Minister Elmedin Konaković expressly welcomed the entry ban of Austria and Germany against Milorad Dodik, the President of the Republica Srpska. In a press conference in Sarajevo, in which the Austrian Foreign Minister Beate Meinl-Reisinger also took part, Konaković expressed his joy about sanctions and hopes that other European countries will take similar measures. Dodik is accused of attacking the Bosnian constitution and following Moscow's instructions.

The sanctions that are already in force affect not only Dodik, but also parliamentary president Nenad Stevandić and Premier Radovan Višković. They contain an entry ban and a ban on travel and onward journey through Austria. The reason for these measures is a national arrest warrant against Dodik, which had not complied with a summons by the Bosnian public prosecutor. The high representative of Bosnia-Herzegovina, Christian Schmidt, sees no new war despite the current tensions in the region.

The legal background

The maintenance of security and the rule of law is of the utmost importance in Bosnia-Herzegovina, in particular against the background of political instability, which is funded by people like Dodik. The Bosnian Special Police Sipa has classified the situation as dangerous because Dodik is protected by armed security forces. Konaković described Dodiks as a "security question" and called for vehement measures against the politician, which he described as a serious criminal.

The support for Dodik is increasingly waning; A recent survey showed that only six people followed his call to withdraw from central state institutions. Beate Meinl-Reisinger also emphasized the importance of the EU integration for the future of Bosnia and announced that dinner together with EU foreign ministers and Western Balkan countries is planned in Brussels in mid-April. She sees Austria as a strong supporter of Bosnia on the way to the EU and hopes for the start of accession negotiations in June.

preparation for EU accession

Bosnia-Herzegovina has held the status of an EU accession candidate since December 2022. The EU decided to accept access negotiations in March 2022. Historically grown, Bosnia was divided into the Republika Srpska in 1995 after the war according to the Dayton peace agreement and the Croatian-Muslim Federation. Since then, the EU has called for a number of reforms to ensure that Bosnia-Herzegovina meets the necessary prerequisites for membership.

In May 2019, the European Commission called fourteen key priorities for the accession negotiations. However, this approach is not without challenges: The progress report from 2020 emphasized significant deficits in different areas and characterized a growing feeling of disillusionment among the population regarding the slow expansion process. Nevertheless, the EU Council confirmed support for Bosnia-Herzegovina in October 2022 and recommended that the accession talks be recorded, which was finally specified in March 2024.

The political actors in Bosnia are now asked to prioritize reforms and to strengthen the rule of law in order to promote integration into the European Union and thus to secure the future stability of the country. Schmidt also dampened the concerns about a flaming conflict in the region, which is the basis for persistent diplomatic efforts.