The European Union is seriously concerned about legislation and initiatives in the Republika Srpska entity that run counter to the EU path of Bosnia and Herzegovina, including secessionist rhetoric and questioning the constitutional order of the country, a spokesperson for the European Commission told N1.

“The EU emphasises that the sovereignty, territorial integrity, constitutional order and international personality of Bosnia and Herzegovina need to be maintained. Any action against these principles will lead to serious consequences,” it added.

The comment comes days after Bosnian Serb leader, the President of the Serb-majority entity threatened with the secession of this part of the country if the international peace envoy Christian Schmidt imposes law on state property, which he had announced as a possibility.

The threat sparked the reaction of the US Embassy in Bosnia and Herzegovina, which said that “Dodik is wrong if he thinks that the US will stand aside while he pushes BiH toward conflict.”

A day after the US Embassy's reaction, the EU called on the political actors in Bosnia and Herzegovina to “refrain from provocative and divisive rhetoric and actions, in particular those that call into question the country's sovereignty, unity and territorial integrity.”

“The EU reiterates its unequivocal commitment to Bosnia and Herzegovina’s EU perspective as a single, united and sovereign country. The rule of law is a cornerstone for the accession process and must be upheld. This includes respecting respecting Constitutional Court rulings,” said the spokesperson.

It also said the issues related to state property should be regulated by a state-level law discussed and agreed among all parties in the BiH Parliament.