Bosnian Serbs declare German minister persona non grata

SARAJEVO:The government of Bosnia’s autonomous Serb Republic declared a German minister persona non grata on Friday and barred her from visiting the region, in retaliation for German sanctions against the Bosnian Serb separatist leadership.

Anna Luehrmann, who is in charge of Europe and climate at Germany’s foreign ministry, said on Thursday that Germany and Austria would bar Bosnian Serb separatist leader Milorad Dodik and his two closest aides from their territories, accusing him of threatening the security of Bosnia and the region.

Luehrmann made the announcement in a joint statement with Austria’s Foreign Minister Beate Meinl Reisinger during the visit to the Bosnian capital of Sarajevo.

Dodik, the president of Bosnia’s autonomous Serb Republic (RS), has triggered a constitutional crisis by defying rulings by the international envoy whose role is to prevent the multi-ethnic Balkan state from slipping back into conflict.