III 

Calendar No. 378 

117TH CONGRESS 

2D SESSION S. RES. 529 

Supporting a democratic, pluralistic, and prosperous Bosnia and Herzegovina 

on the 30th Anniversary of its declaration of independence. 

IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES 

MARCH 2, 2022 

Mrs. SHAHEEN (for herself, Mr. JOHNSON, Mr. MURPHY, Mr. DURBIN, Mr. 

WICKER, Mr. PETERS, Mr. MARKEY, Mr. TILLIS, Mr. GRASSLEY, and 

Mr. COONS) submitted the following resolution; which was referred to the 

Committee on Foreign Relations 

MAY 24, 2022 

Reported by Mr. MENENDEZ, with an amendment and an amendment to the 

preamble 

[Strike out all after the resolving clause and insert the part printed in italic] 

[Strike the preamble and insert the part printed in italic] 

RESOLUTION 

Supporting a democratic, pluralistic, and prosperous Bosnia 

and Herzegovina on the 30th Anniversary of its declaration of independence. 

Whereas Bosnia and Herzegovina has historically been a pluralistic society influenced by and composed of a diverse 

set of religions, cultures, and ethnicities; 

Whereas, on March 3, 1992, Bosnia and Herzegovina declared independence, and on April 7, 1992, the United 


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•SRES 529 RS 

States recognized Bosnia and Herzegovina as an independent state; 

Whereas more than 100,000 people died and 2,000,000 more 

were displaced in Bosnia and Herzegovina between 1992 

and 1995; 

Whereas the United States, alongside the North Atlantic 

Treaty Organization (NATO), played a crucial role in 

ending the war in Bosnia and Herzegovina and brokering 

the General Framework Agreement for Bosnia and 

Herzegovina (also known as the ‘‘Dayton Agreement’’ 

and the ‘‘Dayton Accords’’) in November 1995; 

Whereas the Dayton Accords ended the war, affirmed the territorial integrity and political independence of Bosnia and 

Herzegovina, established the Federation of Bosnia and 

Herzegovina, Republika Srpska, and two tiers of government at the state, entity, district, canton, and municipal 

levels, installed the NATO Stabilization Force (SFOR) as 

an international interim peacekeeping force, and created 

the Office of the High Representative for Bosnia and 

Herzegovina (OHR) to oversee civilian implementation of 

the accords; 

Whereas, since the Dayton Accords were signed, the Government and people of Bosnia and Herzegovina have made 

important strides toward re-building a peaceful society 

based on democracy, human rights, the rule of law, and 

a free-market economy; 

Whereas, in 2004, the United Nations Security Council 

adopted United Nations Security Council Resolution 

1575 authorizing a multinational stabilization force led 

by the European Union (EUFOR) as the legal successor 

to SFOR in Bosnia and Herzegovina; 


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•SRES 529 RS 

Whereas, in 2008, the Peace Implementation Council Steering Board set out the requirements that need to be met 

prior to the closure of the OHR in the 5+2 Agenda; 

Whereas, since 2009 and the case of Sejdi ́c-Finci, the European Court of Human Rights (ECHR) has issued judgments concerning ethnic- and territory-based discrimination in the elections of Bosnia and Herzegovina and requiring reforms, which have yet to be implemented; 

Whereas Bosnia and Herzegovina was invited to join a 

NATO Membership Action Plan in 2010, and Bosnia and 

Herzegovina submitted its first Reform Program to 

NATO in 2019; 

Whereas Bosnia and Herzegovina formally applied for European Union membership on February 15, 2016; 

Whereas, on May 29, 2019, the European Union adopted a 

roadmap to membership for Bosnia and Herzegovina, 

outlining needed reforms in the areas of democracy, the 

rule of law, fundamental rights, and public administration; 

Whereas the United States and the European Union have 

called on Bosnia and Herzegovina to implement election 

and targeted constitutional reforms to ensure broad participation in the 2022 general election in Bosnia and 

Herzegovina and to comply with the Sejdi ́c-Finci judgments from the ECHR; 

Whereas, on October 20, 2021, the United States and the 

European Union issued a joint statement supporting the 

territorial integrity of Bosnia and Herzegovina and calling ‘‘on all parties to respect and protect state institutions, resume constructive dialogue, and take steps to adVerDate Sep 11 2014 00:40 May 25, 2022 Jkt 029200 PO 00000 Frm 00003 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6300 E:\BILLS\SR529.RS SR529

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•SRES 529 RS 

vance progress on the EU integration path—including on 

relevant reforms’’; 

Whereas some politicians in Bosnia and Herzegovina and 

other countries in the region continue to make statements downplaying or denying the 1995 Srebrenica genocide; 

Whereas Milorad Dodik, a Bosnian Serb member of the Presidency of Bosnia and Herzegovina, has hampered reconciliation efforts through genocide denial, engaged in 

proactive and destabilizing security maneuvers, threatened to withdraw Republika Srpska from state-level institutions, including the judiciary, the security services, the 

Indirect Tax Authority, and the armed forces of Bosnia 

and Herzegovina, and called for the dissolution of the 

OHR; 

Whereas, on December 10, 2021, the parliament of Republika 

Srpska voted in favor of denying the constitutional and 

legitimate authority of Bosnia and Herzegovina in the 

areas of taxation, justice, and security and defense; 

Whereas the United States has imposed sanctions on Milorad 

Dodik pursuant to Executive Order 13304 (68 Fed. Reg. 

32313; relating to the Termination of Emergencies With 

Respect to Yugoslavia and Modification of Executive 

Order 13219 of June 26, 2001) and Executive Order 

14033 (86 Fed. Reg. 31079; relating to Blocking Property and Suspending Entry Into the United States of 

Certain Persons Contributing to the Destabilizing Situation in the Western Balkans) for obstructing the Dayton 

Accords and corruption; 

Whereas, on January 9, 2022, Milorad Dodik presided over 

commemorations of an unconstitutional holiday, 


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•SRES 529 RS 

Republika Srpska Day, which coincided with the day 

Bosnian Serbs declared their own state and ignited four 

years of war and bloodshed; 

Whereas international financial institutions such as the International Monetary Foundation have warned that withdrawal from the Indirect Tax Authority would cripple the 

economy of Bosnia and Herzegovina; 

Whereas, in 2020, the economy of Bosnia and Herzegovina 

contracted by an estimated 4.3 percent, and the youth 

unemployment rate rose to 33.6 percent, disrupting a 

five-year trend of decline in part due to the rampant corruption that remains unaddressed; and 

Whereas at least 400,000 citizens of Bosnia and Herzegovina 

have emigrated from Bosnia and Herzegovina over the 

past 8 years: Now, therefore, be it 

Whereas Bosnia and Herzegovina has historically been a pluralistic society influenced by and composed of a diverse set 

of religions, cultures, and ethnicities; 

Whereas, on March 3, 1992, Bosnia and Herzegovina declared 

independence, and on April 7, 1992, the United States recognized Bosnia and Herzegovina as an independent state; 

Whereas more than 100,000 people died and 2,000,000 more 

were displaced in Bosnia and Herzegovina between 1992 

and 1995; 

Whereas the United States, alongside the North Atlantic Treaty 

Organization (NATO), played a crucial role in ending the 

war in Bosnia and Herzegovina and brokering the General 

Framework Agreement for Bosnia and Herzegovina (also 

known as the ‘‘Dayton Agreement’’ and the ‘‘Dayton Accords’’) in November 1995; 


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•SRES 529 RS 

Whereas the Dayton Accords ended the war, affirmed the territorial integrity and political independence of Bosnia and 

Herzegovina, established the Federation of Bosnia and 

Herzegovina, Republika Srpska, and two tiers of government at the state, entity, district, canton, and municipal 

levels, installed the NATO Stabilization Force (SFOR) as 

an international interim peacekeeping force, and created 

the Office of the High Representative for Bosnia and 

Herzegovina (OHR) to oversee civilian implementation of 

the accords; 

Whereas, since the Dayton Accords were signed, the Government and people of Bosnia and Herzegovina have made 

important strides toward re-building a peaceful society 

based on democracy, human rights, the rule of law, and a 

free-market economy; 

Whereas, in 2004, the United Nations Security Council adopted United Nations Security Council Resolution 1575 authorizing a multinational stabilization force led by the European Union (EUFOR) as the legal successor to SFOR in 

Bosnia and Herzegovina; 

Whereas, in 2008, the Peace Implementation Council Steering 

Board set out the requirements that need to be met prior 

to the closure of the OHR in the 5+2 Agenda; 

Whereas, since 2009 and the case of Sejdic ́-Finci, the European 

Court of Human Rights (ECHR) has issued judgments 

concerning ethnic- and territory-based discrimination in 

the elections of Bosnia and Herzegovina and requiring reforms, which have yet to be implemented; 

Whereas Bosnia and Herzegovina was invited to join a NATO 

Membership Action Plan in 2010, and Bosnia and 


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•SRES 529 RS 

Herzegovina submitted its first Reform Program to NATO 

in 2019; 

Whereas Bosnia and Herzegovina formally applied for European Union membership on February 15, 2016; 

Whereas, on May 29, 2019, the European Union adopted a 

roadmap to membership for Bosnia and Herzegovina, outlining needed reforms in the areas of democracy, the rule 

of law, fundamental rights, and public administration; 

Whereas the United States and the European Union have 

called on Bosnia and Herzegovina to implement election 

and targeted constitutional reforms to ensure broad participation in the 2022 general election in Bosnia and 

Herzegovina and to comply with the Sejdic ́-Finci judgments from the ECHR; 

Whereas, on October 20, 2021, the United States and the European Union issued a joint statement supporting the territorial integrity of Bosnia and Herzegovina and calling 

‘‘on all parties to respect and protect state institutions, resume constructive dialogue, and take steps to advance 

progress on the EU integration path—including on relevant reforms’’; 

Whereas some politicians in Bosnia and Herzegovina and 

other countries in the region continue to make statements 

downplaying or denying the 1995 Srebrenica genocide; 

Whereas Milorad Dodik, a Bosnian Serb member of the Presidency of Bosnia and Herzegovina, has hampered reconciliation efforts through genocide denial, engaged in proactive 

and destabilizing security maneuvers, threatened to withdraw Republika Srpska from state-level institutions, including the judiciary, the security services, the Indirect 

Tax Authority, and the armed forces of Bosnia and 


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•SRES 529 RS 

Herzegovina, and called for the dissolution of the OHR 

and the removal of EUFOR; 

Whereas, on December 10, 2021, the parliament of Republika 

Srpska voted in favor of denying the constitutional and legitimate authority of Bosnia and Herzegovina in the areas 

of taxation, justice, and security and defense; 

Whereas the United States has imposed sanctions on Milorad 

Dodik pursuant to Executive Order 13304 (68 Fed. Reg. 

32313; relating to the Termination of Emergencies With 

Respect to Yugoslavia and Modification of Executive Order 

13219 of June 26, 2001) and Executive Order 14033 (86 

Fed. Reg. 31079; relating to Blocking Property and Suspending Entry Into the United States of Certain Persons 

Contributing to the Destabilizing Situation in the Western 

Balkans) for obstructing the Dayton Accords and corruption; 

Whereas, on January 9, 2022, Milorad Dodik presided over 

commemorations of an unconstitutional holiday, 

Republika Srpska Day, which coincided with the day Bosnian Serbs declared their own state and ignited four years 

of war and bloodshed; 

Whereas international financial institutions such as the International Monetary Foundation have warned that withdrawal from the Indirect Tax Authority would cripple the 

economy of Bosnia and Herzegovina; 

Whereas, in 2020, the economy of Bosnia and Herzegovina 

contracted by an estimated 4.3 percent, and the youth unemployment rate rose to 33.6 percent, disrupting a fiveyear trend of decline in part due to the rampant corruption that remains unaddressed; and 


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•SRES 529 RS 

Whereas at least 400,000 citizens of Bosnia and Herzegovina 

have emigrated from Bosnia and Herzegovina over the 

past 8 years: Now, therefore, be it 

1 Resolved, That the Senate— 

2 (1) congratulates Bosnia and Herzegovina on 

3 the 30th anniversary of its declaration of independ4 ence; 

5 (2) reaffirms strong and longstanding bipar6 tisan support for Bosnia and Herzegovina, and con7 tinues to believe that peace and stability in Bosnia 

8 and Herzegovina is integral to the peace and sta9 bility of Europe as a whole; 

10 (3) calls on all parties to uphold the spirit of 

11 unity enshrined in the Dayton Accords and to redou12 ble their efforts to enact electoral and targeted con13 stitutional reforms prior to the 2022 general election 

14 in Bosnia and Herzegovina; 

15 (4) calls on the members of the Presidency of 

16 Bosnia and Herzegovina to recognize their critical 

17 role in preserving stability and to work together in 

18 the best interests of their constituents as part of a 

19 sovereign and independent Bosnia and Herzegovina 

20 within its internationally recognized borders; 

21 (5) encourages the Government of Bosnia and 

22 Herzegovina to continue pursuing membership in the 

23 North Atlantic Treaty Organization and the EuroVerDate Sep 11 2014 00:40 May 25, 2022 Jkt 029200 PO 00000 Frm 00009 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6401 E:\BILLS\SR529.RS SR529

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•SRES 529 RS 

1 pean Union and urges the European Union to in2 crease its efforts, cooperation, and assistance to 

3 swiftly advance the accession process; 

4 (6) calls on the President to prioritize efforts to 

5 combat political corruption, democratic backsliding, 

6 unemployment, and brain drain in Bosnia and 

7 Herzegovina, in particular, by focusing on youth en8 gagement; 

9 (7) commends the continued efforts of the Of10 fice of the High Representative (OHR) to advance 

11 reforms, reaffirms the authority of the OHR as ar12 ticulated in the Dayton Accords, and calls on mem13 bers of the Peace and Implementation Council to 

14 provide their full support to the OHR and advance15 ment of the 5+2 Agenda; 

16 (8) calls on the President to develop an inclu17 sive and comprehensive strategy for Bosnia and 

18 Herzegovina, in coordination with Bosnian and 

19 Herzegovinian civil society and the European Union, 

20 and to increase engagement with minority groups in 

21 an effort to hear from a diverse cross-section of citi22 zens in Bosnia and Herzegovina, inclusive of all eth23 nic, political, or religious affiliations; 

24 (9) encourages the United Nations and its 

25 member states to continue to support the EUFORVerDate Sep 11 2014 00:40 May 25, 2022 Jkt 029200 PO 00000 Frm 00010 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6401 E:\BILLS\SR529.RS SR529

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•SRES 529 RS 

1 Althea stabilization force and to review the current 

2 levels of the force in the face of challenges to the in3 tegrity of Bosnia and Herzegovina; 

4 (10) encourages the United States to consider 

5 additional steps to support security and stabilization 

6 in Bosnia and Herzegovina and to support EUFOR; 

7 (11) condemns individuals who are actively 

8 seeking to undermine the security, stability, and ter9 ritorial integrity of Bosnia and Herzegovina and 

10 urges the President and European allies of the 

11 United States to hold such individuals accountable 

12 for their actions, including through the use of sanc13 tions where appropriate; 

14 (12) condemns the inflammatory rhetoric of 

15 politicians in Bosnia and Herzegovina and others in 

16 the region who deny the severity or perpetration of 

17 war crimes and genocide in Bosnia and Herzegovina; 

18 (13) condemns politicians in Bosnian and 

19 Herzegovina and the region who— 

20 (A) persist in rampant corruption for per21 sonal enrichment at the cost of the prosperity 

22 of the citizens of Bosnia and Herzegovina; and 

23 (B) prevent Bosnia and Herzegovina from 

24 adopting the reforms necessary to secure memVerDate Sep 11 2014 00:40 May 25, 2022 Jkt 029200 PO 00000 Frm 00011 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6401 E:\BILLS\SR529.RS SR529

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•SRES 529 RS 

1 bership in the European Union and the North 

2 Atlantic Treaty Organization; and 

3 (14) emphasizes that the United States Govern4 ment will continue to support the people of Bosnia 

5 and Herzegovina in their quest to build a unified, 

6 pluralistic, prosperous, and peaceful state. 

7 That the Senate— 

8 (1) congratulates Bosnia and Herzegovina on the 

9 30th anniversary of its declaration of independence; 

10 (2) reaffirms strong and longstanding bipartisan 

11 support for Bosnia and Herzegovina, and continues 

12 to believe that peace and stability in Bosnia and 

13 Herzegovina is integral to the peace and stability of 

14 Europe as a whole; 

15 (3) calls on all parties to uphold the spirit of 

16 unity enshrined in the Dayton Accords and to redou17 ble their efforts to enact electoral and targeted con18 stitutional reforms prior to the 2022 general election 

19 in Bosnia and Herzegovina; 

20 (4) calls on the members of the Presidency of 

21 Bosnia and Herzegovina to recognize their critical 

22 role in preserving stability and to work together in 

23 the best interests of their constituents as part of a sov24 ereign and independent Bosnia and Herzegovina 

25 within its internationally recognized borders; 


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•SRES 529 RS 

1 (5) encourages the Government of Bosnia and 

2 Herzegovina to continue pursuing membership in the 

3 North Atlantic Treaty Organization and the Euro4 pean Union and urges the European Union to in5 crease its efforts, cooperation, and assistance to swift6 ly advance the accession process; 

7 (6) calls on the President to prioritize efforts to 

8 combat political corruption, democratic backsliding, 

9 unemployment, and brain drain in Bosnia and 

10 Herzegovina, in particular, by focusing on youth en11 gagement; 

12 (7) commends the continued efforts of the Office 

13 of the High Representative (OHR) to advance re14 forms, reaffirms the authority of the OHR as articu15 lated in the Dayton Accords, and calls on members of 

16 the Peace and Implementation Council to provide 

17 their full support to the OHR and advancement of the 

18 5+2 Agenda; 

19 (8) calls on the President to develop an inclusive 

20 and comprehensive strategy for Bosnia and 

21 Herzegovina, in coordination with Bosnian and 

22 Herzegovinian civil society and the European Union, 

23 and to increase engagement with minority groups in 

24 an effort to hear from a diverse cross-section of citiVerDate Sep 11 2014 00:40 May 25, 2022 Jkt 029200 PO 00000 Frm 00013 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6203 E:\BILLS\SR529.RS SR529

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•SRES 529 RS 

1 zens in Bosnia and Herzegovina, inclusive of all eth2 nic, political, or religious affiliations; 

3 (9) encourages the United Nations and its mem4 ber states to continue to support the EUFOR-Althea 

5 stabilization force and to review the current levels of 

6 the force in the face of challenges to the integrity of 

7 Bosnia and Herzegovina; 

8 (10) encourages the United States, in coordina9 tion with the EU and NATO, to consider a force pos10 ture review in light of the deteriorating political situ11 ation in order to consider additional steps to support 

12 security and stabilization in Bosnia and Herzegovina 

13 and to support EUFOR; 

14 (11) calls on the United States to work in close 

15 cooperation with NATO, the EU, and the United Na16 tions to ensure that contingency plans are considered 

17 if the annual renewal of EUFOR’s mandate at the 

18 United Nations is put in jeopardy; 

19 (12) condemns individuals who are actively seek20 ing to undermine the security, stability, and terri21 torial integrity of Bosnia and Herzegovina and urges 

22 the President and European allies of the United 

23 States to hold such individuals accountable for their 

24 actions, including through the use of sanctions where 

25 appropriate; 


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•SRES 529 RS 

1 (13) condemns the inflammatory rhetoric of poli2 ticians in Bosnia and Herzegovina and others in the 

3 region who deny the severity or perpetration of war 

4 crimes and genocide in Bosnia and Herzegovina; 

5 (14) condemns politicians in Bosnian and 

6 Herzegovina and the region who— 

7 (A) persist in rampant corruption for per8 sonal enrichment at the cost of the prosperity of 

9 the citizens of Bosnia and Herzegovina; and 

10 (B) prevent Bosnia and Herzegovina from 

11 adopting the reforms necessary to secure member12 ship in the European Union and the North At13 lantic Treaty Organization; and 

14 (15) emphasizes that the United States Govern15 ment will continue to support the people of Bosnia 

16 and Herzegovina in their quest to build a unified, 

17 pluralistic, prosperous, and peaceful state. 


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Calendar No. 378 

117TH CONGRESS 

2D SESSION S. RES. 529 

RESOLUTION 

Supporting a democratic, pluralistic, and prosniversary of its declaration of independence. perous Bosnia and Herzegovina on the 30th AnMAY 24, 2022 

Reported with an amendment and an amendment to the 

preamble 


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