German MEP Dietmar Koster who was one of the signatories of a document requesting sanctions against the “corrupt political elite in BiH” told N1 that he and others are lobbying in Germany and elsewhere to sanction BiH Presidency member Milorad Dodik and the secessionist regime in the country’s Republika Srpska (RS) entity.

“It is necessary to overcome this deep political crisis in BIH and we know who is responsible for this deep political crisis – that is Mr Dodik and his policy of secession of RS from BiH. We, as Social Democrats, are asking here in the European Parliament that we must impose sanctions on Mr Dodik and his regime. We have taken the first step in that direction,” Koster said.

“For example, the Commission will suspend an investment program for the RS worth € 600 million. This is an important step. The German Development Minister announced that she would suspend the project in the amount of € 105 million for the RS until all secessionist activities are suspended. Therefore, I just want to emphasize that it is very important for us in the European Union to overcome this deep political crisis. Now we are really in a situation to implement a step by step to support those forces that are committed to a democratic BiH whose goal is for BiH to become a member of the European Union,” he added.

Speaking about Wednesday’s Bundestag discussion about the situation in BiH, he said the German government is very concerned with the situation in the Western Balkans and especially in BiH.

“We’re all very worried about the influence of Russian propaganda, especially in Germany. That is why it’s very important for German politics that BiH gets closer to the EU, and the German Bundestag emphasized that there is no bilateral support for Republika Srpska from Germany. We in Germany are lobbying to stop such support throughout the EU.

When asked about the US special envoy for the Western Balkans Gabriel Escobar’s statement that the civic concept of Bosnia and Herzegovina can only be discussed once it becomes an EU member state, the German MEP said this was impossible to implement in practice.

“I’d say we must do everything to support civil society. I think one of the failures of the European Union, Ms Eichhorst and others, is that we have focused our talks with nationalist leaders. We need to involve a special civic society and in cooperation with the civil society, I hope we can reform the Constitution. It is really necessary to overcome this ethnic segregation in Bosnia and Herzegovina. So, if you want to be a member of the European Union, some reforms are needed. We need an independent judiciary. The rule of law must be clear. It must be organized so that we can conduct fair elections. And this is very important from my point of view,” Koster said.