The President of France, Emmanuel Macron, had a telephone conversation with the President of Serbia, Aleksandar Vučić, regarding recent developments in the Balkan region, with particular emphasis on the dialogue between Kosovo and Serbia, as well as the political situation in Bosnia and Herzegovina.
"I recalled the importance of the dialogue between Kosovo and Serbia and that we condemn all unilateral actions to harm it," Macron said in a post on the social network X (formerly Twitter).
Currently, the dialogue between the two countries is frozen, due to the political situation in Kosovo, where the Government is in office and with limited powers. When talking about Bosnia and Herzegovina, Macron stressed that during the conversation with Vučić he had reiterated the importance that France attaches to the stability, unity and sovereignty of Bosnia and Herzegovina, as well as respect for the rule of law. This telephone conversation comes just a day after the meeting of the Serbian Security Council, which declared that security in the region has been seriously undermined. The Council's assessment comes in the wake of the decision of the Court of Bosnia and Herzegovina, which sentenced the President of Republika Srpska, Milorad Dodik, to one year in prison and a six-year ban on exercising political activity, for failing to respect the decisions of the International High Representative in Bosnia.
"I reiterated my conviction that Serbia's destiny is European and my hope that it can progress in the spirit of dialogue, on the path of reforms and membership. We analyzed the relations between Serbia and France and decided to further strengthen our cooperation," Macron said further.
On the other hand, Serbian President Aleksandar Vučić stated that he had reiterated to the French president that Serbia remains committed to all processes that preserve peace and cooperation, while the protection of the Serbian people remains one of the main national interests.
"I emphasized our commitment to dialogue and respect for international law, as well as our readiness to contribute to the long-term stability of the region," Vučić said in a Facebook post, announcing that he had sent an invitation to Macron for a visit to Belgrade.
Following the Court's decision against Dodik on 1 August, the latter declared that he does not accept either the decision or the criminal indictment. On 3 August, Dodik warned that Republika Srpska would "retaliate" after the end of the trial. Dodik's lawyer has announced that he will appeal the decision to the Constitutional Court of Bosnia and Herzegovina. After the final decision is communicated, Dodik is expected to be served with a summons to enforce his prison sentence, while a decision by the Central Election Commission of Bosnia and Herzegovina to terminate his mandate as president of Republika Srpska is also expected. According to the Election Law of Bosnia and Herzegovina, the mandate of an elected official ends "on the date when the court decision, sentencing him to imprisonment for six months or more, becomes final".
