Thewesternbalkans.
According to Radio Free Europe, a new “non-paper”, drafted by France and Germany, calls on the EU to suspend financial projects that benefit Republika Srpska and to consider imposing targeted sanctions on individuals in this entity of BiH.
The media in BiH reported that the non-paper, dated 12 May 2025, is the updated version of the paper tabled 3 November 2023.
In Serbia, the existence of the new non-paper was confirmed by the Chief of the General Staff of the Serbian Army, Milan Mojsilović, who said on 22 May, after a meeting of the National Security Council, that it had been presented by Serbian President Aleksandar Vučić.
The document states that RS has undertaken several actions and legal processes that undermine the constitutional order of BIH, particularly after the President of the entity, Milorad Dodik, was sentenced by the Court of BiH on 26 February to one year in prison and six years of political disqualification for failing to comply with decisions of the High Representative.
These actions include the adoption of a series of controversial laws by the National Assembly of RS, including a draft of a new constitution of the entity, as well as the Law on non-application of laws and prohibition of activities of “non-constitutional institutions of BiH”, which stipulated that laws on the Court and Prosecutor’s Office of BiH, State Investigation and Protection Agency (SIPA), and the High Judicial and Prosecutorial Office of BiH (HJCP) would not be applied or executed on the territory of RS.
According to the media reports, the immediate purpose of the French-German non-paper is “the repeal of unconstitutional laws and the withdrawal of the new constitutional draft”. To this end, the following measures are proposed: limiting financial support for Republika Srpska, imposing targeted sanctions, slowing down the EU accession process of BiH, and severing contacts with officials of this entity.
It is stressed that the EU should suspend all projects that are, directly or indirectly, beneficial to RS within the Western Balkans Investment Framework (WBIF). In addition, it is suggested that the European Commission should not propose new projects that are beneficial to Republika Srpska.
According to the document, the criteria for lifting the measures will be developed after the leadership of RS takes constructive steps.
Concerning the sanctions, it is suggested to apply the existing framework for restrictive measures against individuals or entities that undermine the sovereignty, territorial integrity and constitutional order of BiH. Since there is no consensus in the EU on this issue, the document calls on the individual member states to impose travel bans on certain RS officials.
“National measures are temporary and reversible, with the aim of changing the behaviour of targeted individuals and entities,” the non-paper stresses.
Reacting to the non-paper, Milorad Dodik stated it meant “deepening of the crisis, wasting time and money, and another adventurous approach to BiH”. In his opinion, “the document, released into diplomatic traffic by Germany and France, shows that in 30 years since the signing of the Dayton Peace Agreement, the leading EU states have learned almost nothing about BiH”.
On the other hand, Serbian President Aleksandar Vučić did not publicly comment on it, but met Dodik on 26 May in Belgrade. After the meeting, Vučić stated on Instagram that Serbia “will always stand by Republika Srpska”.
Comment: Germany and France try to have active role in the European political and economic area, but engaging administrative capacity with Republika Srpska is a little bit exaggerated. The Dayton Agreement is still valid and in force, guaranteeing peace – meaning there will be no war. It has been revised over time due to various political pressures and decisions, including the so-called Bonn powers. The letter of the original Dayton has not been fully respected, but Western centers of power uphold its spirit, which they define as a fully functional Bosnia and Herzegovina, which in some way implies centralization of power.
