An unseen diplomatic stupidity, analysts say, took place in Bosnia and Herzegovina. The refusal of the agrément to the German Ambassador could cost BiH the EU candidate status, Deutsche Welle wrote Friday.

Two days ago, the BiH Presidency held a session, after Serb Presidency member Milorad Dodik announced the blocking of all projects at the level of BiH, related to the Federation (FBiH) entity.

“In addition to projects for the FBiH, nothing can pass through there. I can no longer support development projects in FBiH. I'm not happy, but I have to work this way because of the pathological attitude of two members of the BiH Presidency towards development projects in the Republika Srpska (RS) entity,” Dodik warned after all his proposals were rejected at the Presidency session.

What followed did not go in the direction of project development, but the consequences in the political sense could be much worse, according to some analysts. The consequences will Not only be reflected on one entity, but also for the entire country.

During the said session, Dodik voted against accepting the credentials of the new German Ambassador to BiH, Thomas Fitchen. A few hours later, a reaction to this decision arrived from Germany, where they asked for a statement on such a move within two days. The media are already reporting that otherwise BiH could be left without Berlin’s support for obtaining the EU candidate status.

“The German side is unpleasantly surprised and disappointed by the information that the BiH Presidency did not give approval to H.E. Fitschen. They asked the BiH Presidency to give clear explanations about the reasons and background of such a decision within the next 48 hours. This kind of behaviour is unacceptable, especially for something like this to happen after 30 years of bilateral cooperation between the two countries,” reads the letter from the Embassy of Bosnia and Herzegovina in Berlin, which further warns that if Germany does not receive a clear explanation, they will reconsider their further behaviour and support for Bosnia in foreign policy priorities, especially in obtaining the EU candidate status.

For some analysts, it is striking that responsibility is demanded from the entire state leadership, even though only Dodik voted for the decision.

“When Germany passes a resolution in the Bundestag calling for the abolition of Republika Srpska and the creation of another system of governance in BiH, then we must oppose it. What were they thinking, giving money to the barracks in the FBiH? If they want to implement future decisions regarding defence, they won't be able to do so in the FBiH either. If they want such a division of BiH, I agree, and € 200 thousand (the amount for the allocation of the barracks in Doboj) for Germany is ridiculous,” Dodik concluded.

The former BiH Ambassador, Slobodan Soja, reacted on his Facebook to this situation, writing:

“The refusal of an agrément to the new German Ambassador is extreme and an obvious proof not only of amateurism and recklessness but also of nervousness and panic of an obviously lost man who has been doing irreparable damage for a long time, above all to the Serbs and the Republika Srpska,” Soja wrote, assessing Dodik's move as an unprecedented diplomatic move, a stupidity that could and must cost him dearly.

“This undiplomatic face slap to Germany is so strange and insane that Germany has also decided to do something undiplomatic and violate the Vienna Convention. Namely, when a country refuses to give an agrément, according to the provisions of the Vienna Convention, it is not obliged to explain the reason. Germany is now giving us 48 hours to get an explanation! Anger is understandable, but diplomatic rules should be followed. The Germans should be made aware that we will not explain anything to them because everything is clear to them, assuring them that the issue will be resolved quickly.” Soja noted, calling on Bosniak Presidency member Sefik Dzaferović to urgently convene a new session of the BiH Presidency, which must give approval to the newly appointed German Ambassador, independently of how Dodik votes.