The European Union (EU) said on Tuesday that it "strongly" supports the sovereignty, constitutional order and territorial integrity of Bosnia and Herzegovina, following statements by a municipal mayor in Republika Srpska about the unification of this entity with Serbia.
On the eve of the celebration of the Day of Unity, Freedom and the Serbian National Flag, the mayor of Banja Luka, Draško Stanivuković, wrote on Facebook that "Republika Srpska and Serbia are one."
"One people and one flag. Unity, harmony, harmony and freedom, are sacred Serbian words for which we must strive, endlessly, until the final goal," said Stanivukovic.
The European Union in Bosnia recalls that "unilateral calls for changes to the constitutional framework, whether through partition, redrawing borders, integration with neighboring states or the abolition of entities, are not in line with the provisions of the Dayton Peace Agreement, nor with the European path of Bosnia and Herzegovina."
"Political leaders should refrain from divisive and provocative rhetoric and respect the Constitution of Bosnia and Herzegovina. Public discourse, especially during election campaigns, should focus on citizens' expectations regarding improved socio-economic and environmental conditions, as well as reforms in the areas of the rule of law and democracy, necessary for progress towards EU membership," the EU stresses.
The Office of the High Representative (OHR) and the OSCE also reacted to Stanivuković's statement.
The ZPL said that "unilateral calls for the abolition of entities, as well as calls for secession, independence or unification with another state, are contrary to the constitutional framework of Bosnia and Herzegovina as defined by the Dayton Peace Agreement."
She declared on September 14 that "citizens should not be deceived by promises that cannot be fulfilled, nor should their emotions and fears be exploited for political gain."
"Political leaders must respect the Constitution and should refrain from inflammatory rhetoric. Instead, they should focus on addressing the real needs of citizens," the statement said.
The OSCE Mission to Bosnia said that political rhetoric questioning the existence of the state of Bosnia, or its entities, is contrary to the Dayton Peace Agreement.
The Day of Unity, Freedom and the Serbian Flag has been celebrated as a national holiday since 2020, based on an agreement between the leadership of Serbia and Republika Srpska, and is marked on the day when the Thessaloniki Front was broken in 1918 in World War I./REL
