Bosnian Serb Leader Calls for Bosnia and Herzegovina To Join Brics Instead of the European Union

A Russia-allied Bosnian Serb leader, Milorad Dodik, is calling for Bosnia and Herzegovina to choose the Beijing-led economic group known as Brics over the European Union as the latter seeks to expand its membership. Brics is an alternative to the 27-member European Union, Mr. Dodik said on Tuesday, arguing that joining this group could be done more easily and faster than entering the European bloc.During their meeting at Johannesburg last week, the original Brics countries — Brazil, Russia, India, Communist China, and South Africa — admitted six new members as part of the group’s drive to become a counterweight to American- and European-led international blocs. Mr. Dodik — the leader of Republika Srpska, one of the two administrative units in Bosnia and Herzegovina — has often been rebuked by America and the European Union for his nationalist rhetoric and close ties with President Putin of Russia. “Given that new and unclear conditions for admission to the European Union are always emerging from Brussels, I believe that Bosnia and Herzegovina should submit an application for membership in Brics,” Mr. Dodik tweeted. He added that representatives from Republika Srpska will be submitting a proposal to Bosnian authorities “in the upcoming days.” If the European Union wants to remain “credible,” it must be ready to enlarge the bloc by 2030, the president of the European Council, Charles Michel, said on Monday during a forum at Slovenia. Among the audience were leaders of countries hoping to enter the European Union such as Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Moldova, Montenegro, and North Macedonia.“As we prepare the EU’s next strategic agenda, we must set ourselves a clear goal. I believe we must be ready — on both sides — by 2030 to enlarge,” Mr. Michel said. “This is ambitious but necessary. It shows that we are serious.” Bosnia and Herzegovina, Ukraine, and Moldova have gained candidate status for the European Union since the onset of the February 2022 Russian invasion. On average, it takes about nine years for a country to officially become part of the European Union. The timeline has varied by country, depending mostly on the reforms they are required to make to meet the bloc’s standards. During the Monday conference, Prime Minister Golob of Slovenia said preparations for expansion of the European Union “must happen in the next 12 months or they will not happen for a very long time.” President Macron of France warned the European Union on Monday against moving too quickly on expanding the bloc. “The risk is to think we can enlarge without reform. I can testify that it is hard enough for Europe to advance on sensitive topics with 27 members. With 32 or 35 members, it won’t be any easier,” Mr. Macron said. Meanwhile, the Brics group voted last week to invite six countries to join the group on January 1. President Ramaphosa of South Africa said this was the “first phase of this expansion” and that others would follow. The countries invited to join were Argentina, Iran, Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, Egypt, and Ethiopia. Mr. Dodik has often been accused by the European Union and America of violating the 1995 Dayton Accords that ended the war in the Balkans and created a binational country. According to the accords, major national decisions, including on foreign policy, must be made jointly by both entities, giving Republika Srpska a veto over such decisions as joining international blocs. Mr. Dodik often threatened to withdraw Republika Srpska from the union and to create a separate Serb army. In 2022, the American Department of the Treasury sanctioned Mr. Dodik for alleged corruption and for continued threats to the stability and integrity of Bosnia and Herzegovina.In January, Mr. Dodik awarded Mr. Putin the highest medal of honor on “the day of Republika Srpska,” a holiday considered illegal under Bosnia’s constitutional court. The action was condemned by the European Commission, which reminded Mr. Dodik of how important it is for countries with candidate status to adhere to the rules of the bloc.

Bosnian Serb Leader Calls for Bosnia and Herzegovina To Join Brics Instead of the European Union

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