The Parliament of the Republika Srpska approved on June 8th the “Resolution on the Protection of Serbs in Kosovo and Metohija and the Protection of the Territorial Integrity and Sovereignty of the Republic of Serbia”.
The majority in the highest legislative body of the Serb entity in Bosnia and Herzegovina is led by the Alliance of Independent Social Democrats of Milorad Dodik, who is also the President of the Republika Srpska.
Dodik does not recognize the independence of Kosovo and has close relations with officials in the Kremlin and Belgrade.
Due to the opposition of political representatives from the Republika Srpska, Bosnia and Herzegovina has not yet recognized the independence of Kosovo, and both states apply visa regimes for citizens of the respective countries.
The text of the resolution supports Serbia’s “right to protect territorial integrity and sovereignty, guaranteed by international law” and United Nations Resolution 1244.
The resolution was proposed by Nenad Stevandić, President of the Parliament of the Republika Srpska and the leader of the United Serb Party, which is in a coalition with Dodik’s party.
The text states that the Republika Srpska “condemns the terrorist activities of Kosovo Albanians and their authorities, which pose a threat to international peace and security”.
In addition to the resolution, conclusions were also adopted, through which the Republika Srpska invites states, UN members, the Council of Europe, and the European Union, which recognize the independence of Kosovo, to review their decision and withdraw recognition for Kosovo.
The Parliament of the Republika Srpska also demanded that the representatives of this entity, who are in the institutions of Bosnia and Herzegovina, initiate decisions that “would condemn the violation of human rights and freedoms and the ongoing ethnic cleansing of Serbs in Kosovo and Metohija by Kosovo Albanians and their authorities”.
The Parliament stated that it would send the conclusions to the United Nations General Assembly and the Security Council, the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe, and the European Parliament.
The resolution and conclusions were also supported by opposition parties in the Republika Srpska.
This issue was proposed to be placed on the agenda of the Parliament following the increase in tensions in northern Kosovo, predominantly inhabited by Serbs.
In Leposavić, Zvečan, and Zubin Potok, the security situation has deteriorated since May 26th, when Albanian mayors officially assumed office despite the resistance of local residents.
Local Serbs in these three municipalities have been organizing protests in front of municipal buildings since then.
The violence escalated on May 29th when local Serbs clashed with members of the NATO mission in Kosovo, KFOR, and dozens of people from both sides were injured.
The April 23rd elections, from which Albanian mayors emerged, were boycotted by the Serb community.
