"Republika Srpska leaders are undermining the constitutional order"/ EU's chief diplomat in Bosnia: We will not tolerate it!

Any attempt to divide Bosnia and Herzegovina is unacceptable, European Union foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas said in Sarajevo on Tuesday.

Speaking during her first visit to Bosnia, Kallas said the leadership of Bosnia's Serb entity, Republika Srpska, "is undermining the country's constitutional order and threatening the fundamental human rights of all citizens."

"We will not tolerate any threat to the territorial integrity, sovereignty and constitutional order of this country," said Kaja Kallas, addressing soldiers of EUFOR, the EU military mission in Bosnia, which also has an executive mandate from the United Nations to ensure the country's stability through the use of force.

The leaders of Republika Srpska, in particular President Milorad Dodik, are criticized by Western governments for trying to separate the Serbian entity from Bosnia.

In March, the Court of Bosnia and Herzegovina issued national arrest warrants for Dodik, Prime Minister Radovan Višković, and National Assembly Speaker Nenad Stevandić, accusing them of violating the constitutional order of Bosnia and Herzegovina with their actions.

All three have ignored calls from authorities to report for questioning.

Dodik is under sanctions by the United States and the United Kingdom, but the European Union has so far been unable to find common ground on sanctions against him, due to opposition from its member, Hungary.

Republika Srpska passed a draft of a new constitution in March, which would define the entity as a state of the Serbian people, grant it the right to self-determination, and establish its own army.

Kallas recalled that the EU sent hundreds of additional soldiers to Bosnia in March and that EUFOR supports the Bosnian Armed Forces through training and support for demining.

"We are concerned about this country and its future. The inflammatory rhetoric and attempts at division are dangerous, unacceptable and pose a direct threat to Bosnia," Kallas said.

After meeting with EUFOR commanders, Kallas is scheduled to meet with Bosnia's tripartite Presidency, Zeljko Cvijanovic, Denis Becirovic and Zeljko Komsic.

Kallas is on a tour of the Western Balkans, which began with a visit to Montenegro on Monday and before arriving in Bosnia, he stayed in Albania on Tuesday morning.

In Tirana, she met with Albanian President Bajram Begaj and Prime Minister Edi Rama. She said that Albania is a strong partner of the EU and that as a member of NATO it is fully aligned with the bloc's foreign and security policy.

In Podgorica, Kallas met with Prime Minister Milojko Spajic and in Cetinje with Montenegrin President Jakov Milatovic.

Kallas said in Podgorica that she was concerned about regional stability and announced that it would be discussed during her visit to Sarajevo. She also said that normalizing relations between Belgrade and Pristina is important.

During her confirmation hearings as EU foreign policy chief, Kallas promised to work to make EU enlargement a reality.

All six Western Balkan countries – except Kosovo – as well as Ukraine, Moldova, Georgia and Turkey are candidates for EU membership.

Kosovo has applied for membership in the European bloc, but its application has not yet been reviewed.

She has not announced a visit to Kosovo and Serbia during this week's tour of the Balkans./ REL