Bosnian Serb leader sets conditions for not creating Republika Srpska armed forces

Republika Srpska (RS), the Serb-dominated part of Bosnia-Herzegovina, will not create its own armed forces if a military structure is established in Bosnia with all three nationalities – Bosniaks, Serbs and Croats – equally represented in its units and command, Milorad Dodik, the Serb member of Bosnia's tripartite presidency, told media in Mostar on 16 December, Serbia's Beta news agency reported later the same day.

He proposed that the now 10,000-strong Armed Forces of Bosnia and Herzegovina (OSBiH) be reduced to 5,000, adding that “a significant percentage” of Croats did not want to serve and cannot fill their quota. The situation was similar with Serbs, according to Dodik, who added that “at some point someone will force Bosniaks to fill it, which is not good”, adding that he in fact favours the demilitarisation of Bosnia.

The National Assembly of RS in Banja Luka voted on 10 December to transfer Bosnia's defence, security, justice, and taxation system to RS, which could lead to the restoration of its own armed forces, intelligence service, and other key institutions.