A group of US Senators, Republicans and Democrats, sent a letter to US Secretary of State Marco Rubio regarding the current political crisis in Bosnia and Herzegovina. The letter is published in full.
Dear Secretary Rubio,
We are deeply concerned about the recent actions of Milorad Dodik, the leader of the Republika Srpska entity within Bosnia and Herzegovina. For years, he has engaged in secessionist activity, challenging Bosnia and Herzegovina’s state institutions, undermining the Dayton Accords, and threatening the territorial integrity and ethno-social cohesion of the country. In response, the United States, including under the first Trump administration, has imposed sanctions on Mr. Dodik and individuals and entities that have assisted in his secessionist acts.
On February 26, 2025, the Constitutional Court of Bosnia and Herzegovina sentenced Mr. Dodik to one year in prison and banned him from politics for six years as a consequence of his decision to implement unconstitutional laws that rejected the authority of the Constitutional Court and of the Office of the High Representative. Mr. Dodik has vowed to ignore the verdict and continue his separatist agenda, leading him to take steps toward the potential secession of Republika Srpska from Bosnia and Herzegovina.
Most recently, Mr. Dodik and his allies have escalated the secessionist crisis of their own making. The Republika Srpska National Assembly passed and Dodik implemented two new unconstitutional laws aimed at prohibiting the functioning of Bosnia and Herzegovina’s state- level security and judicial institutions within Republika Srpska. Provincial institutions of Republika Srpska have been ordered to use force to stop and prevent the legal and lawful actions and operation of Bosnia and Herzegovina state institutions within the boundaries of Republika Srpska. In addition to threats of force, threats of arrests, sanctions, and penal procedures have been directed at employees of Bosnia and Herzegovina state institutions living and working in Republika Srpska for continuing to carry out federal responsibilities. This is a direct attack on the constitutional order of Bosnia and Herzegovina and the Dayton Peace Accords.
We urge the administration to use all tools at its disposal, including diplomacy and sanctions, to prevent a deterioration of the situation in Bosnia and Herzegovina. Specifically, we urge your Administration to:
- Expand targeted sanctions against Dodik and his enablers, including additional financial restrictions and travel bans for those undermining Bosnia and Herzegovina’s sovereignty and democratic processes.
- Increase diplomatic engagement with Bosnia and Herzegovina, including the appointment of a Special Envoy for the Western Balkans to coordinate policy.
- Coordinate closely with European allies and partners to present a unified international position against secessionist threats, including by reviewing the readiness of EUFOR Operation Althea mission to address any potential security threats.
- Build on the strong statement by the U.S. Chargé d’affaires in Bosnia and Herzegovina by reaffirming publicly and unequivocally at the highest levels that the United States is committed to the sovereignty, territorial integrity, and multiethnic character of Bosnia and Herzegovina.
The security, stability and economic prosperity of Bosnia and Herzegovina remains vital to U.S. interests in the Western Balkans. Strong leadership from the United States, working in concert with our allies and partners, is essential to counter Mr. Dodik’s destabilizing agenda.
We stand ready to support the Administration’s efforts in this regard and look forward to continued cooperation to advance peace, stability, and democratic development in Bosnia and Herzegovina.
The letter is signed by:
Senator Chuck Grassley, Chairman of the Senate Judiciary Committee.
Senator Jeanne Shaheen, Ranking Member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee.
Senator Jim Risch, Chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee.
Senator Dick Durbin, Ranking Member of the Senate Judiciary Committee.
Senator Chris Van Hollen, Ranking Member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee.
Senator Thom Tillis, Ranking Member of the Senate Judiciary Committee.
Senator Peter Welch, Ranking Member of the Senate Judiciary Committee.
SIPA tried to detain Dodik in East Sarajevo, RS Ministry of Interior objected 
Metropolitan Joanikije misuses the historical tragedy of Jasenovac for political propaganda against Kosovo 
NLS: Vucic bought a plane 
The New Criminal Code Allows Trial in Absentia for Radoičić over the Terrorist Attack in Banjska 
Ukraine, UK, France, US set to hold talks in London on Wednesday – Zelensky 
Serbian Orthodox Church Patriarch Porfirije traveling to Moscow