Sarajevo: Reserve peacekeeping forces arrived in Bosnia on Wednesday as tensions escalated in the country. The deployment follows NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte’s strong reaffirmation of support for Bosnia’s territorial integrity and stability.
Italian and Czech troops landed at Sarajevo airport, where they were received by EUFOR, the European Union’s peacekeeping mission in Bosnia. Romanian military personnel, along with helicopters and supplies, are expected to arrive in the coming days.
The move comes after a series of controversial actions by Republika Srpska’s President Milorad Dodik, which have intensified political strife in the region. Dodik introduced laws that would effectively bar state-level security and judicial institutions from operating in Republika Srpska, a move seen as a direct challenge to Bosnia’s sovereignty.
In response, Bosnia’s state prosecutor issued arrest warrants on Wednesday for Dodik and two other top Bosnian Serb officials. However, Dodik dismissed the warrants, refusing to recognize the state prosecutor’s authority and rejecting any possibility of his arrest. He also made it clear that he would not travel to Sarajevo for questioning.
The political crisis deepened following a February 26 ruling by Bosnia’s state-level court, which sentenced Dodik to one year in prison and banned him from politics for six years. The conviction was based on his defiance of decisions made by the international community’s peace envoy, Christian Schmidt. Dodik has the right to appeal the ruling.
The High Representative, tasked with overseeing the implementation of the 1995 Dayton Peace Agreement, plays a crucial role in resolving disputes in Bosnia. However, the latest developments threaten to undermine the fragile stability of the Western Balkan nation, which aspires to join the European Union.
