Serbia’s position on the 1995 Dayton Peace Agreement that ended the Bosnian war is clear, said the President of Serbia’s National Assembly, Ivica Dacic, stressing that his country insists on the full implementation of the document, which includes Bosnia’s Constitution.

“It is the clearest, but also the strongest position, and because of that, no effort was made to change the situation on the field. And great political energy is being invested in that even today but in vain. How do they think that BiH will be preserved by abolishing the Republika Srpska? That is not possible,” Dacic told the SRNA news agency, referring to Bosnia's Serb-majority semi-autonomous Republika Srpska (RS) entity.

He argued that there are still “strong efforts” in Bosnia, but also from outside the country, to change the Dayton Peace Agreement.

“And not as it is prescribed – with the consent of the constituent peoples and both entities – but somehow under the table, through pressure only directed towards Republika Srpska and the Serb people. That will not work and Serbia will not allow it,” he stressed.

Dacic said that Serbia unequivocally respects Bosnia’s sovereignty and shows this through its economic cooperation with the country and excellent interstate cooperation during the pandemic. He pointed out that Serbia transported hundreds of Bosnian citizens home from some of the most remote parts of the world with its humanitarian flights.

“But we cannot allow anyone, in turn, to challenge Republika Srpska, demand its abolition or demand that BiH recognises Kosovo's independence. We have not tolerated that until now, and we will not tolerate it in the future either,” he said.

Serbia and BiH are neighbours and have great cooperation in trade which is worth some two billion euros annually, he said.

“I hope that in the new year we will have fewer issues that we are conflicting about than those that we agree on,” he said.