NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte emphasized on March 10 in Sarajevo that the alliance will not permit the hard-won peace in Bosnia and Herzegovina to be compromised or a security void to emerge within the region.

Rutte arrived for an official visit to Bosnia and Herzegovina, where he is set to meet with the country’s top political leaders amidst tensions from Republika Srpska, which is threatening secession and attempting to restrict the activities of state judicial and police bodies within its territory.

Following discussions with members of the BiH Presidency, Rutte reiterated NATO’s commitment to the sovereignty and territorial integrity of Bosnia and Herzegovina, describing the Dayton Peace Agreement, which concluded the war in 1995, as a fundamental principle that must be upheld. He also expressed support for the work of the Office of the High Representative (OHR) tasked with its enforcement.

“While I am concerned about the security situation, we are not in 1992, and a security vacuum will not be tolerated. I am confident that EUFOR is fully equipped to maintain a stable security framework in BiH. We will not jeopardize the hard-won peace here,” Rutte stated.

Three members of the BiH Presidency, two different perspectives

Chairwoman Željka Cvijanović, representing Republika Srpska, stated that while she and political figures from her entity firmly support BiH’s territorial integrity, multiethnicity, and cooperation with NATO, they have questions regarding membership in the military-political alliance.

“My colleagues think it’s acceptable for a foreign entity to impose laws; I disagree. It is concerning how much influence the Bonn Conference has had, and there are perceptions in the RS that this country has been ‘privatized’ to benefit one ethnic group over the others,” Cvijanović remarked.

She welcomed the heightened presence of EUFOR and NATO in BiH, believing it benefits the entire country due to the various verbal threats that have been made.

“The High Representative Christian Schmidt alone cannot salvage BiH; rather, it is up to the Republika Srpska and the Federation of BiH to collaborate for a better future and foster a normal, democratic society,” Cvijanović added.

Presidency Member Denis Bećirović highlighted the importance of Rutte’s assurance that NATO would prevent a security vacuum and that he expressed full support for the High Representative’s mandate in BiH.

“We are facing the most challenging times since 1995. There has been a severe constitutional coup against BiH. This dangerous destabilization must be halted. The only entity that stands to gain from such turmoil is Moscow,” Bećirović stated.

The third member of the BiH Presidency, Željko Komšić, expressed his readiness to endorse everything discussed in the meeting with NATO Secretary General.

Komšić emphasized that responsibility for BiH lies locally, and it is their duty to bring positive developments to the citizens of BiH.

“It is crucial for BiH to allocate a larger budget for the defense sector if it aspires to join NATO. The proposed budget we are adopting does not approach even two percent of the gross domestic product (GDP),” Komšić noted.

Following this meeting, Rutte is scheduled to meet with the Chairwoman of the Council of Ministers of BiH, Borjana Krišto.

In the afternoon, he will address students at the Faculty of Political Sciences at the University of Sarajevo.

What prompted Rutte’s visit to BiH?

The NATO Secretary General’s arrival in Bosnia and Herzegovina coincided with the enactment of unconstitutional laws in the Bosnian entity of Republika Srpska.

The RS Assembly previously legislated against the activities of the State Investigation and Protection Agency (SIPA) of BiH, the Court and Prosecutor’s Office of BiH, and the High Judicial and Prosecutorial Council, which oversees the appointment of all judges and prosecutors in the country.

The Constitutional Court of BiH issued a temporary measure halting the implementation of the law passed by the RS National Assembly on February 27, following a verdict against RS President Milorad Dodik, who received a one-year prison sentence and a six-year ban from holding office.

Dodik was found guilty of defying High Representative Christian Schmidt’s decisions and signing decrees that attempted to invalidate Schmidt’s annulments while disregarding the mandates of the Constitutional Court of BiH and the High Representative within the RS.

NATO has consistently affirmed its support for the sovereignty and territorial integrity of Bosnia and Herzegovina, pledging to prevent any security vacuum and protect the peace that has been achieved.

The European Union Force (EUFOR) in Bosnia and Herzegovina announced on March 7 that it would temporarily augment its troop levels as a precautionary step, responding to rising tensions in the area.

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