Croatian President Zoran Milanovic on Thursday made a telephone call to the Serb member of Bosnia and Herzegovina's three-member presidency, Milorad Dodik, urging him to ensure the return of Republika Srpska representatives to state institutions, the Office of the President says in a press release.

Milanovic was quoted as saying that in the current situation, following Russia's aggression against Ukraine, it is necessary to address problems in Bosnia and Herzegovina in a responsible and sober manner that will guarantee peace and stability in the region.

Representatives of Republika Srpska entity withdrew from the state-level institutions in July last year, in protest against the decision of international peace envoy, former High Representative Valentin Inzko, to impose a genocide denial ban through changes to the Criminal Code of Bosnia and Herzegovina. Due to their decision, the work and decision-making process at the state level has been blocked since then, hindering the country's EU path and reform processes.

Milanovic called on Bosnian Serb representatives to resume their duties in the institutions of Bosnia and Herzegovina, as “the best way to continue serious and important talks” facing the representatives of all three constituent peoples of Bosnia and Herzegovina.

“Republika Srpska cannot get out of BiH, that's impossible… They belong in the West, the the Serb people belong in the West, not in Russia,” the Croatian president said on Wednesday.

Milanovic informed Dodik of his initiative for Bosnia and Herzegovina, just as Ukraine, to be given the status of candidate for EU membership as soon as possible to prevent the crisis from spilling over to southeast European countries.