France criticizes Republika Srpska’s actions, warns of threats to Bosnia’s stability
Bosnian Serb leader Milorad Dodik (C) gestures as he delivers a speech in Banja Luka, northern Bosnia and Herzegovina on February 26, 2025. (AFP Photo)
France on Monday condemned recent legislative actions taken by Republika Srpska, which it says undermine Bosnia-Herzegovina’s constitutional order and threaten public freedoms.
“France strongly condemns the recent adoption in the entity of Republika Srpska of laws and decisions that clearly undermine the constitutional order of Bosnia and Herzegovina and infringe on public freedoms,” a French Foreign Ministry statement said.
Paris reaffirmed its support for Bosnia-Herzegovina’s state institutions.
“All political actors must contribute to the proper functioning of these institutions,” the statement read.
It also emphasized that Bosnia-Herzegovina’s path to European integration “passes through respect for the rule of law, judicial decisions, public freedoms, and the autonomy of civil society.”
A key point of contention remains the controversial laws enacted by Republika Srpska, which were subsequently suspended by Bosnia-Herzegovina’s Constitutional Court on March 5. France called for full compliance with the court’s ruling, stating that it “must be strictly respected.”
As a witness to the 1995 Dayton-Paris Peace Accords, France reiterated its firm commitment to Bosnia-Herzegovina’s territorial integrity and sovereignty.
“France remains firmly attached to the territorial integrity and sovereignty of Bosnia-Herzegovina,” the statement asserted.
The country also reaffirmed its broader commitment to European security and the stability of the Western Balkans, warning against any actions that could further destabilize the region.
Since the end of the 1990s war and the 1995 Dayton Peace Accords, Bosnia and Herzegovina has operated under what is widely considered the world’s most complex political system.
It comprises two entities: the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina and Republika Srpska. The two entities enjoy broad autonomy, with all major decisions requiring consensus among the country’s three main ethnic groups—Serbs, Bosniaks, and Croats.
