Representatives of the SPD, Alliance 90 / The Greens, and FDP in the Bundestag called on the German government to provide more support to Bosnia and Herzegovina (BiH) in the face of growing tensions and secessionist policies in the country.
”Allegedly, the country’s nationalist political elites in Serb, Croat, and Bosniak parties use ethnic differences and reinforce and exploit them to enrich themselves and maintain their own government,” wrote the delegates in a joint request.
Determined and firm resistance
They said reforms in BiH have been blocked for decades to maintain a favorable environment for corruption, and that some political leaders “are increasingly relying on separatism, hatred and hate speech – also to divert attention from the stalemate and social frustration for which these political forces themselves are responsible.”
”In particular, the political activities of nationalist politicians such as Milorad Dodik, currently a member of the Presidency of BiH, and Dragan Covic, president of the HDZ BiH party, aim to destroy BiH as a state and home to a diverse population,” they stated, adding that this ”threat to peace in Southeast Europe” was unacceptable and required ”determined, firm resistance” from the European Union (EU), its member states and the international community.
Vigorous advocacy for sanctions
Among other things, the delegates call on the government to “explicitly call on the political leadership of BiH to de-escalate and reduce internal tensions.” They also call on the government to continue to vigorously push for EU sanctions to be targeted at individuals, institutions, and companies that “undermine the sovereignty, territorial integrity, constitutional order, and international legal personality of BiH.”
In addition, the political leaders of Serbia, in terms of the ongoing process of joining the EU, as well as Croatia, “should undoubtedly be asked to distance themselves from the ethnic separatist forces in BiH,” they stated.
Other demands are aimed at bringing BiH closer to NATO, continuing the ‘Berlin Process’, strengthening the Office of the High Representative for BiH, and Germany’s support for Operation EUFOR Althea in BiH.
