NATO Secretary-General Mark Rutte was set to arrive in Bosnia-Herzegovina on Monday as the country grapples with escalating political tensions between High Representative Christian Schmidt and Republika Srpska (RS) President Milorad Dodik.
Dodik, convicted last month for defying Schmidt’s authority, has continued rejecting federal institutions despite Bosnia-Herzegovina’s Constitutional Court recently annulling his legislation dismissing the authority of state police and judiciary within RS. He also ignored a summons from the chief prosecutor investigating him for undermining the Constitution.
In response, the European Union Force (EUFOR) announced a temporary increase in its peacekeeping presence.
Dodik’s separatist ambitions have long strained Bosnia-Herzegovina’s fragile postwar institutions, with repeated threats to withdraw RS from central institutions, leading to U.S. sanctions.
Rutte's visit also comes as NATO navigates shifting security dynamics under U.S. President Donald Trump. The alliance has maintained a presence in Bosnia-Herzegovina since the 1990s, working alongside EUFOR to ensure stability.
