Croatian Prime Minister Andrej Plenković stated late last night in Mostar that Croatia will not impose sanctions on the President of Republika Srpska (RS) Milorad Dodik, adding that he does not believe that a consensus will be reached at the European Union level on sanctions against the political leadership of RS.
"Croatia will not impose sanctions on Dodik. We are not in the same position as other countries that are not neighbors. Banja Luka is an hour and a half drive from Zagreb. That is why we want to send reassuring messages, encourage dialogue and return political actors in BiH to the constitutional framework," Plenković told reporters after last night's meeting with HDZ BiH leader Dragan Čović.
Plenković said that he believes that sanctions would "further destabilize the political situation in BiH and slow down its European path," which, he assessed, is not in the interest of the citizens of BiH or Croatia.
Plenković said he was concerned about the political crisis in Bosnia and Herzegovina, describing it as one of the most serious since the end of the war in 1995.
"We believe that the crisis is serious and that all political actors must show responsibility, return to the constitutional framework and reduce tensions. All attempts at secessionism and separatism, especially from the ranks of political representatives of Republika Srpska, are bad and harmful to the functionality and survival of BiH," the Croatian Prime Minister pointed out.
According to him, Croatia, as a neighbor of BiH to the south, west and north, has the greatest interest in a stable and functional BiH, and emphasized that it will continue to act as a partner on BiH's European path.
Bonus video:
