ANKARA: The fate of Bosnia-Herzegovina depends on discussions between local lawmakers with the support of President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, the country’s Serb leader Milorad Dodik said Wednesday.
The Serb member of the Bosnia-Herzegovina’s tripartite presidency expressed his satisfaction with Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic’s visit to Turkey.
“Last year, during Erdogan’s visit to Bosnia and Herzegovina, I stated that the problems in Bosnia and Herzegovina can be resolved with the mediation of Turkish President Erdoğan, Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic, and Croatian President Zoran Milanovic,” Dodik told the SRNA news agency. “The fate of Bosnia and Herzegovina depends on the dialogue of local politicians with the support of Erdoğan, Vucic, and Milanovic. Other than that, no one’s opinion will lead to a good outcome for Bosnia and Herzegovina.”
When asked about the situation in Bosnia-Herzegovina during a joint news conference Tuesday in Ankara with his Serbian counterpart, Erdoğan said that he and Vucic wanted the three leaders of the Presidency of Bosnia-Herzegovina to come together for a meeting in Ankara or Belgrade to work out the current political issues in the country.
Political dispute in Bosnia-Herzegovina
Bosnia-Herzegovina is currently embroiled in a political conflict between Bosniaks and Serbs living in the country.
The dispute erupted after Valentin Inzko, the former U.N. high representative for Bosnia-Herzegovina, amended the criminal code in July to ban the denial of genocide and the glorification of war criminals.
Bosnian Serb lawmakers in response said they would boycott the country’s institutions.
Dodik denounced the amendments and pushed for the controversial separatist moves in the Republika Srpska parliament.
The steps have been criticized internationally for violating the 1995 Dayton Accords and undermining the country’s constitution. -Agencies
