Serbian FM Warns Against 'Foreign Governors' in Bosnia

Speaking at a conference in Belgrade on relations with Bosnia's predominantly Serb entity, Republika Srpska, Jeremic said, according to reports, that democratically elected representatives must hold the power in Bosnia, rather than governors appointed from abroad.

"No country can be on the course to the EU and be ruled by governors," he said, adding: "Only protectorates are ruled by governors."

At the conference, which addressed the relationship between Republika Srpska, RS, and Serbia in light of new regional and global relations, Jeremic underlined that Belgrade supports everything in Bosnia that is agreed upon by its three sovereign nations and two entities. He added that it is committed to the Dayton Accords, which ended the war in Bosnia.

One of the priorities of Serbia's state policy is the protection of the Serb people, wherever they live, he said.

"RS is doing pretty well, for which tribute should be paid to its leadership, headed by Milorad Dodik," Jeremic said.

"RS will always have Serbia's support on the basis of the agreement on special relations," he was further quoted as saying.

Republika Srpska's minister for economic relations, Zeljka Cvijanovic, said at the gathering that Serbia has a duty to ensure the implementation of the Dayton Accord, adding that attempts were made in Bosnia to abuse the process of European integration in order to centralise the country.

She added that the High Representative in Bosnia-Herzegovina is diminishing the state's capacities and claimed that he often violated human rights and imposed laws for which he was not entitled.

Jeremic and Cvijanovic signed a memorandum on understanding and cooperation between Serbia and the RS during the meeting in Belgrade.

Under the 1995 Dayton peace agreement, which ended the 1992-95 war, Bosnia was divided into two entities, the Croat-Bosniak federation and Republika Srpska.

The two entities are linked by weak central institutions, while each entity retains its own government, parliament and presidency.

The Office of the High Representative, responsible for ensuring the implementation of the Dayton agreement, remains a strong political power in the country, capable of pushing through laws and ousting officials, and is often at odds with the Republika Srpska government.

Serbia and the RS have maintained very close relations in recent years.