While during his visit to Bosnia and Herzegovina on 24-25 November Commissioner Varhelyi was informed by Serb Member of the Presidency and SNSD Leader Milorad Dodik of his intention to call a session of the RSNA on 10 December to begin a process of withdrawing competences, this does not in any way imply assent or acceptance of these plans. Indeed, Commissioner Varhelyi argued against these plans.

Commissioner Varhelyi’s position on the withdrawal of competences announced by the RS leadership was clearly articulated in statements delivered to the media during his visit to BiH. Commissioner Varhelyi underlined that the RS leadership’s plans to dismantle State institutions would take Bosnia and Herzegovina further away from alignment with the EU acquis and would put the EU path on hold. He moreover stressed that they would have a negative impact on business and citizens. He repeated this position in a call with Mr Dodik a few days ago.

Commissioner Varhelyi urged Mr Dodik not to take any unilateral and irreversible step towards dismantling state level institutions. While the conclusions adopted by the RSNA on 10 December carry no executive effect, their adoption alone is a further escalatory step on a dead end path. This view was reaffirmed in a joint Quint-EU statement issued on 10 December. The EU is fully committed to the territorial integrity and sovereignty of Bosnia and Herzegovina and rejects any proposal that would undermine the constitutional framework of BiH.