The UN Security Council slammed the secessionist efforts of Bosnia & Herzegovina’s Republika Srpska at a closed session on March 21, supporting the country’s territorial integrity, state institutions and international community’s high representative Christian Schmidt. 

All UN members except Russia backed the state bodies despite Moscow’s efforts to push forward the separatist agenda of Republika Srpska’s President Milorad Dodik, according to reports after the closed door session. 

“China is not happy with the [Office of the High Representative] OHR, but absolutely supports a united BiH. The Europeans and the Americans are in agreement. In May, the Security Council will have a regular six-month report on the situation in the country. Christian Schmidt is coming, maybe [the Serb member of Bosnia’s tripartite presidency, Zeljka] Cvijanovic too, if she gets a visa to enter the United States,” Al Jazeera journalist Ivica Puljic wrote on X.

“All participants in the consultations spoke and expressed concerns over the escalation of political crisis, calling for de-escalation and political dialogue,” Slovenia’s ambassador to the UN, Samuel Zbogar, said as quoted by Srna news agency.

The secessionist efforts of Republika Srpska were also criticised by Croatian Prime Minister Andrej Plenkovic. After a meeting with European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, Plenkovic wrote on X that tensions in Bosnia should be calmed down and the country resume reforms that would bring it closer to EU membership.

Dodik loses allies in Bosnia

Meanwhile, Dodik seems losing key support within Bosnia where Dragan Covic, the leader of the main Croat HDZ party, switched sides and said he would not back Dodik but would stick with the parties defending Bosnia’s territorial integrity.

On March 21, HDZ and the Troika – a coalition of three Bosniak parties – discussed the political crisis and the functioning of the state-level ruling coalition, which includes Dodik’s SNSD party.

After the meeting, Covic said that the key goal of the coalition is to ensure peace and stability, with political decisions that will enable Bosnian state institutions to do their job. He said that Bosnia should continue its European path despite the challenges.

Covic said he will hold a meeting with opposition parties in Republika Srpska that could replace SNSD in the state-level coalition. That option was proposed by the Troika earlier this year but until now Covic has opposed it, working in coordination with Dodik.

However, on March 21 Covic said that SNSD has decided to carry out a “coup” against the state judiciary, RTV Herceg-Bosne reported.

“We have to transform what we have achieved in our current partnership agreement into a new form of partnership or coalition in BiH,” he said.

Covic added that the work of state-level government must be unblocked, hinting at support for removal of SNSD’s ministers and their replacement with representatives of Serb opposition parties.

Dodik responded that the opposition in Republika Srpska has no legitimacy to represent the entity and accused it in treason.

"The opposition does not have the people's legitimacy to represent the Serbian people and the Republika Srpska. They have no democratic legitimacy, but they have a traitorous capacity. Muslims find those who show servility. The opposition did not want to talk to us about important issues, but they responded to the Muslims," Dodik said as quoted in a statement on his webpage.

He added that this move is a treason and would further speed up the collapse of Bosnia.

"Their attempt to impose such a plan will result in the disintegration of BiH. To some extent, I am happy from this development of the situation. The [Serb opposition] PDP and SDP have no legitimacy to act on behalf of the people. Only those who are steeped in hatred for Srpska will accept such losers. Any action against the will of the institutions of Srpska will constitute a criminal offence," Dodik said.