Serbia supports the territorial integrity of Bosnia and Herzegovina but it also supports the preserving of Republika Srpska (RS), Serbia's Foreign Minister Ivica Dacic said in response to the announced initiative to challenge the name of Bosnia's Serb-dominated RS entity before the State Constitutional Court.

According to Dacic, the situation in neighbouring Bosnia is already unstable and the announcement of the initiative aimed to change Republika Srpska's name is not contributing to calming down of tensions.

Bosniak leading party, the Party of Democratic Action (SDA) announced earlier this week it would launch a process and ask the Constitutional Court if the name Republika Srpska is in line with the Constitution, arguing that it discriminates other ethnic groups living in that entity.

This sparked strong reactions among the Serb and Republika Srpska leadership, which in response announced “rigorous protection measures” in that entity and the possibility of taking control over its own border within the country.

SDA's initiative once again demonstrated “destructiveness” of that political party, said Serbia's Dacic.

“We support peace and stability, territorial integrity of Bosnia and Herzegovina but also preserving of (Republika) Srpska”, he told Belgrade newspaper Vecernje novosti.

Addressing the press in Belgrade on Friday, Serbia's Prime Minister Ana Brnabic assessed that the initiative is not contributing to peace and stability in the region.

“I can't understand the logic behind the initiative. I think the name of Republika Srpska was clearly defined in the Constitution,” she added.

Brnabic said she could not interfere with Bosnia's internal matters but that she was always supportive of dialogue and communication but not the moves that might destabilise the situation.

The President of Serbia earlier said SDA's initiative was an “irresponsible move.”