US slam ‘reckless’ move in Bosnia

Serb gov’t criticized for quiting state power company

SARAJEVO (Reuters) – US diplomats said on Saturday Bosnia’s Serb region had entered into direct confrontation with the international community by withdrawing from the state electricity network.

Senior US diplomat Raffi Gregorian said the international council overseeing the deal that ended Bosnia’s 1992-5 war would take all necessary measures unless the Serb Republic government revoked its decision. He did not elaborate.

“The Republika Srpska (RS) government entered into an open conflict with the international community that may have long-reaching consequences,” Gregorian told the Dnevni Avaz newspaper in an interview.

The Serb Republic government said this week it would pull out of the state electricity network Elektroprenos BiH it formed along with the Muslim-Croat federation in 2006 to enable Bosnia to join southeast Europe’s single energy community.

“We take this act very seriously,” said Gregorian, who is deputy to international peace overseer Miroslav Lajcak.

The Peace Implementation Council consisting of major world governments and agencies, as well as the governments of the United States, France and Britain have all issued statements saying the move was illegal and asking the Serb Republic to revoke it.

“The RS government conclusion raises profound constitutional questions, seeks to illegally nullify a state law, sets back reform efforts for the entire country and is politically reckless,” the US embassy said in a statement.

The European Union’s executive commission said the Bosnian Serb authority’s move may hurt Bosnia’s bid for EU integration.

In June, Bosnia signed a Stabilization and Association Agreement (SAA) with the European Union, its formal contract with the bloc. Further progress on the EU path will depend on the pace of EU-related reforms and standards.

“The formation of Elektroprenos BiH was a clear requirement by the EU and one of pre-conditions for the SAA,” Gregorian said.

The Serb Republic and the Muslim-Croat federation form Bosnia under the Dayton peace accords that ended the 1992-95 war.