Letter to the editor. Facing sanctions against dodic to save peace in the Balkans

Open letter to Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson, Foreign Minister Maria Malmer Stenergard, EU Minister Jessica Rosencrantz and Helena Lagerlöf, Sweden's ambassador to Bosnia and Herzegovina:

With strong concern, we turn to you as representatives of Sweden on Bosnian citizens and the behalf of the Bosnian-Swedish civil society. We, Swedish citizens originating from Bosnia and Herzegovina, are grateful for Sweden's continuous support for our home country during the post -war period and its commitment to our nation's euroatlantic integration. Sweden's role in maintaining peace and stability in the Western Balkans is of utmost importance.

The latest political development in Bosnia and Herzegovina, especially after the verdict from the country's national court against Milorad Dodik, the President of the Republican SRPSKA, has led to an alarming crisis. Dodik has been sentenced to one year in prison And six years ban from public offices for ignoring the Office of the High Representative decision. In response, Dodic escalated their attempts to undermine the constitutional order in Bosnia and Herzegovina. He has ordered his party and other Bosnian-Serbian representatives to withdraw from state institutions and has legislated a ban on Bosnia-Herzegovina's legal and security institutions from operating within Republika SRPSKA.

These actions constitutes a direct violation of the Dayton Agreement, which has been the basis for peace in the country since the end of the war in 1995. Despite previous sanctions from the United Kingdom and the United States against Dodik, his family and his closest co-workers, both at entity and state level, for corruption and destabilizing activities, Dodik's latest actions constitute an even greater threat. The situation risks escalating further and jeopardizing the stability of Bosnia and Herzegovina as well as the safety of the Western Balkans and in the long run throughout Europe.

In addition, we are worried by the lack of a common and stable European foreign policy. Several factors seem to contribute to the destabilization of the region. The Hungarian Foreign Minister has promised support for Dodic in case the situation would degenerate into violence. We are aware of Hungary's financial interests such as the exploitation of lithium in Bosnia and Herzegovina's entity Republika SRPSKA.

We see the state of Serbia's open support for Dodik's separatist efforts as a continuation of the 90's aggression against Bosnia and Herzegovina, which led to genocide against Bosnia's non-Serbian population. Serbia's continuous ambitions about a Greater Serbia pose a serious threat to regional stability. Croatia has, because of its own interests in Bosnia and Herzegovina, undermined the country's democracy by supporting Serbian separatist activities, which shows that they still follow Franjo Tudjman's ideological line.

It is of utmost importance To act quickly to protect peace and stability in Bosnia and Herzegovina and thereby contribute to Europe's security. We urge the Swedish government to immediately take the following powerful action:

● Sweden must clearly and vigorously highlight that Bosnia and Herzegovina's territorial integrity are indisputable.

● Faced with targeted sanctions on the leaders, including Milorad Dodik, who, through their actions, undermines the peace process and threaten Bosnia and Herzegovina's stability. These sanctions must be effective and clearly signal that any attempt to undermine Bosnia's unit will be met with powerful measures.

● Sweden should, within the framework of the EU, actively work to ensure that the Union clearly highlights that it will not be passive if a possible dissolution of Bosnia and Herzegovina risks demolishing the progress made since the wars in the 1990s.

● Diplomatic efforts must be intensified to bring together all political actors in Bosnia and Herzegovina to the negotiating table.

We are looking forward to An urgent response from you with an account of the measures the Swedish government intends to take on this urgent issue. Bosnia and Hercegovina's population, as well as the great Bosnian diaspora in Sweden, rely on continued international support for preserving peace, human rights, democracy and sovereignty and territorial integrity in Bosnia and Herzegovina.

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