The President of Republika Srpska (RS), Milorad Dodik, claims On Thursday, he ordered police to arrest and expel High Representative Christian Schmidt upon his entry into RS territory. Reuters reported that these statements were made during a press conference with Bosnia and Herzegovina Security Minister Nenad Nešić, who supports Dodik’s actions. The RS is one of the two entities that make up Bosnia and Herzegovina.
In response to Dodik’s announcement of the expulsion order, Schmidt said that he will continue to assume his responsibilities in RS and honor the appointments he has in RS in the coming days. Schmidt also argued that as a subject of the Vienna Convention on Diplomatic Relations, he enjoyed immunity and that Dodik had no authority to arrest and deport him. The American Embassy in Bosnia and Herzegovina released a statement asserting that Dodik’s threat to limit Schmidt’s freedom of movement is unconstitutional. Reacting to the statement, Dodik said that Murphy does not have the power to make legal decisions and that no “serious state” would tolerate his presence.
On the same day that Dodik announced his expulsion instructions, he met with Manuel Sarrazin, the German federal government’s special representative for the Western Balkan countries. The meeting focused on Germany’s recent suspension of funding for four major infrastructure projects in RS. Sarrazin said the secessionist policy promulgated by Dodik left Germany with no political space to continue cooperation with the RS, as reported by local media. Klix.ba. In response, Dodik reiterated that the RS would not recognize Christian Schmidt due to lack of nomination by the UN Security Council. The RS will seek alternatives to financially support these infrastructure projects.
Bosnia Herzegovina is a country composed of the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina and Republika Srpska, which comprise mainly Bosniaks and Serbs, respectively. Created in 1995, the Office of the High Representative’s mission is to supervise the implementation of the Dayton Peace Accord in the country. However, Dodik has, on several occasions, claims that the High Representative has no jurisdiction in Bosnia and Herzegovina because the relevant UN Security Council resolution has not taken place. Dodik also actively participated call for the independence of Republika Srpska.
Relations between the RS and the Office of the High Representative have been strained since Dodik’s arrival. accused with non-execution of the decision of the High Representative, initiated by the Bosnian Prosecutor’s Office. At the beginning of September, the Bosnian Serbs protested at the unmarked internal border where Republika Srpska and the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina meet. The aim of the demonstration was to support Dodik, their separatist leader.