European Parliament adopted on Wednesday the report on Bosnia and Herzegovina with 530 votes in favour, 68 against and 33 MEPs who abstained from voting. The parliamentarians urged the Bosnian authorities to speed up reforms and take the path of European integration, while turning back on retrograde activities and rhetoric.

MEPs once again called for imposing sanctions against president of Bosnia’s Serb entity Republika Srpska Milorad Dodik and anyone supporting secessionist policies.

They assessed that Dodik’s actions work against BiH’s European prospects and jeopardise access to EU funds for projects in RS entity.

Divisions and secessionism are the most serious obstacles to BiH’s European integration, rapporteur Paulo Rangel said on Tuesday.

The Commission must not unfreeze funds for RS until the democratic backsliding ends and the Council must sanction Dodik and other destabilising actors, he added.

In the resolution, MEPs call for targeted sanctions against destabilising political actors in BiH, including those jeopardising the country’s sovereignty and territorial integrity, notably Dodik and other high-ranking RS officials and officials of third countries that support secessionist policies politically and financially.

MEPs also condemn Russia’s continuous destabilisation of the Western Balkans and meetings between high RS officials and Russian leaders.

Croatian MEP Zeljana Zovko (EPP) told Hina news agency that sanctions were not the solution. “Why not bring Dodik back to Europe? Why not deter him from Russia?”

If he will really jeopardise peace, he should be replaced, she said, “but I don’t see anyone else who will come and do a more positive thing unless there is a change and justice for all.”

In Tuesday’s debate, Croatian MEP Tonino Picula (SDP) called on the EU to be consistent in the Western Balkans, given that it responded to recent unrest in the north of Kosovo with temporary sanctions against Kosovo while refusing to sanction Dodik.

He told Hina that Dodik “is an example of a consistent destructive policy” and that his replacement should be added to the list of 14 requirements BiH must meet to get closer to the EU.

BiH was given membership candidate status last December.

According to Zovko, BiH’s European integration will accelerate once Croats in BiH are ensured equality. “The implementation of all BiH Constitutional Court decisions, the adoption of an election law, security that every people and all citizens will have a share in government.”

In a report, MEPs regret the failure of political actors in BiH to align its constitution and election law with the European Convention on Human Rights because they have not implemented several decisions of the European Court of Human Rights and the BiH Constitutional Court, which obstructs equal political rights for all citizens.