A group of US senators and representatives has sent a letter to Secretary of State Marco Rubio, expressing deep concern over the actions of Republika Srpska President Milorad Dodik and calling for measures to prevent further deterioration of the situation in Bosnia and Herzegovina.

The letter, signed by key members of the U.S. Senate and House of Representatives, highlights Dodik’s long-standing efforts to undermine Bosnia and Herzegovina’s state institutions, challenge the Dayton Peace Accords, and threaten the country’s territorial integrity. Lawmakers warn that Dodik’s secessionist agenda has escalated in recent months, prompting urgent calls for increased US engagement in the Western Balkans.

The signatories include Senate President pro tempore and Chairman of the Senate Judiciary Committee, Republican Charles E. Grassley; Democratic member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, Jeanne Shaheen; Chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, Republican James E. Risch; Democratic member of the Senate Judiciary Committee, Richard J. Durbin; Republican member of the Senate Judiciary Committee, Thom Tillis; Democratic member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, Chris Van Hollen; Democratic member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, Peter Welch; Democratic member of the House Appropriations Committee, Mike Quigley; and Republican member of the House Foreign Affairs Committee, Ann Wagner.

In the letter, lawmakers reference the February 26, 2025, ruling by Bosnia and Herzegovina’s Constitutional Court, which sentenced Dodik to one year in prison and banned him from politics for six years due to his efforts to implement unconstitutional laws rejecting the authority of the Constitutional Court and the Office of the High Representative. Despite this, Dodik has vowed to ignore the verdict and continue his push toward the potential secession of Republika Srpska.

The letter also condemns recent decisions by Republika Srpska’s National Assembly, which passed unconstitutional laws blocking Bosnia and Herzegovina’s state-level security and judicial institutions from operating in the entity. Lawmakers warn that Dodik and his allies have escalated the crisis by ordering provincial authorities to use force against state institutions, threatening federal employees with arrest and sanctions. These actions, they stress, are a direct attack on Bosnia and Herzegovina’s constitutional order and the Dayton Peace Accords.

The lawmakers urge the Biden administration to take decisive action, including:

• Expanding targeted sanctions against Dodik and his associates, including financial restrictions and travel bans.

• Increasing diplomatic engagement by appointing a Special Envoy for the Western Balkans.

• Strengthening coordination with European allies to present a unified response to secessionist threats.

• Reviewing the readiness of EUFOR’s Operation Althea to address potential security risks.

• Publicly reaffirming the United States’ commitment to Bosnia and Herzegovina’s sovereignty, territorial integrity, and multiethnic character.

The letter emphasizes that Bosnia and Herzegovina’s stability and prosperity remain vital to U.S. interests in the Western Balkans. Lawmakers call for strong U.S. leadership to counter Dodik’s destabilizing agenda and ensure continued peace and democratic development in the region.

pismo

pismo

pismo

pismo

pismo

pismo

pismo