World

EU warns of 'serious consequences' as Bosnian Serbs mark breakaway day

Published

2 years ago

January 9, 2024

EU warns of 'serious consequences' as Bosnian Serbs mark breakaway day

Brussels has sounded the alarm over celebrations planned in Bosnia and Herzegovina’s post-war Serb region, the Republika Srpska, to mark its breakaway anniversary.

The so-called ‘Republika Srpska Day’ celebrates the region’s 1992 claim of independence from Bosnia during the breakup of Yugoslavia, which led to a bloody interethnic war that claimed 100,000 lives.

The commemoration, which coincides with a religious Orthodox holiday, has been deemed unconstitutional by Bosnia and Herzegovina’s Constitutional Court because it discriminates against non-Serbs.

Tuesday’s events come amid increasing tensions as Republika Srpska’s President Milorad Dodik, widely seen as a Kremlin ally, ratchets up secessionist threats, prompting international concern. Dodik has vowed to “declare full independence” of Bosnia’s Serb-controlled regions should Western democracies attempt to intervene in the country’s shared, multi-ethnic institutions.

The European Commission reaffirmed on Tuesday the bloc’s long-standing opposition to any act that undermines the Balkan country’s territorial integrity.

“When it comes to the legality of the ‘Republika Srpska Day,’ the Constitutional Court of the country already ruled twice in 2015 and 2019 that the legislation in Republika Srpska about the ‘Republika Srpska Day’ is not in line with the Constitution of Bosnia and Herzegovina,” said Peter Stano, spokesperson for foreign affairs.

“The European Union has always emphasised that the sovereignty, territorial integrity, constitutional order and international personality of Bosnia-Herzegovina need to be maintained,” Stano added.

“Any action against these principles will lead to serious consequences.”

On the eve of the celebrations, the United States flew F16 fighter jets above Bosnia and Herzegovina in a show of support. Its embassy in Sarajevo also called for an investigation into the celebrations and said it would “not hesitate” to act in response to acts that violate the 1995 US-brokered peace deal.

Breakaway threats spark concerns

Republika Srpska, whose 1.2 million population is made up mostly of Orthodox Christian Serbs, is one of the two entities of Bosnia and Herzegovina. The second entity, the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina, is made up of mostly Bosniaks and Croats.

Both entities were formed under the 1995 Dayton Agreement, which brought the three-year Bosnian war to an end and split the country into two entities along ethnic and religious lines.

The country’s stability and intricate power-sharing arrangements, the result of Western democracy building, are considered precarious and have recently been threatened by President Dodik’s intensified separatist rhetoric.

Adnan Ćerimagić, a senior analyst at the think tank European Stability Initiative, told Euronews that although Dodik’s warnings have not changed in substance over recent months, their increased intensity, combined with a fast-changing geopolitical environment, now merit international attention.

“While the idea of dividing Bosnia-Herzegovina into three mono-ethnic territories is not new, what is new is that Dodik has support not just from Belgrade in Serbia (…) but also from the outside,” Ćerimagić explained.

“It’s the support that comes from certain EU and NATO members like Hungary,” he added. “Just today, the Prime Minister of Hungary, a NATO and EU member, Viktor Orbán has been decorated as part of the celebrations of the Day of Republika Srpska.”

Region’s future in the balance

Serbia’s President Aleksandar Vučić has also lent his support to the controversial cause, promising synchronised fireworks would take place in the Serbian capital of Belgrade on Tuesday evening in a sign of its support for Republika Srpska’s holiday celebrations.

The spat over the commemoration comes less than a month after the international observers from the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE) found that thousands of ethnic-Serb voters had been bused in from Bosnia and Herzegovina to cast their ballots illegally in the recent Serbian elections.

“We tend to think that this alliance between Vučić and Dodik is, is natural and is explicit, but I would say that it is not,” Berta López Domènech, a policy analyst on the Western Balkans for the European Policy Centre, explained.

“Vučić has used this card of not explicitly supporting Republika Srpska’s secession because he knows that this would be a red line in his relations with Western partners, such as the EU.”

But Ćerimagić believes Belgrade could see its ability to rein in a potential escalation of tensions in Bosnia and Herzegovina as a “bargaining chip” in dialogue with Western partners as they scrutinise the recent results of December’s parliamentary elections, which were marred by allegations of electoral fraud.

Bosnia and Herzegovina has been an official candidate for EU accession since December 2022. However, the opening of accession talks has been stalled by deeply entrenched ethnic divisions and delays in constitutional, judicial and electoral reforms.

EU leaders said in December that the bloc would open accession talks with the country “once the necessary degree of compliance with the membership criteria is achieved.”

But both experts fear Dodik and the Republika Srpska ruling coalition’s increasingly defiant stance could have implications for Bosnia and Herzegovina’s EU membership bid.

“It’s clear that for some member states, a condition to start accession talks (with Bosnia and Herzegovina) is actually to see some of the steps that the ruling coalition in Republika Srpska and Milorad Dodik have done in the past couple of years to be reversed,” Ćerimagić said.

“That means that Milorad Dodik and the ruling coalition in Republika Srpska have a sort of a veto on that EU path,” he added.

Meanwhile, López Domènech warned that “marking a day that celebrates a genocide is clearly not in line with the European Union’s priorities.”

Related Topics:Bosnia and Herzegovina EU Enlargement European Union Featured republika srpska

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World

Anyma Says He’s ‘Truly Devastated and Deeply Sorry’ Following Canceled Coachella Set: ‘I’m Working on a Solution’

Published

4 hours ago

April 12, 2026

Press Room

Anyma Says He’s ‘Truly Devastated and Deeply Sorry’ Following Canceled Coachella Set: ‘I’m Working on a Solution’

Electronic musician Anyma is speaking out after his Coachella set was canceled due to severe weather condititions early Saturday morning.

“I’m heartbroken,” the DJ, whose real name is Matteo Milleri, wrote in a statement shared to his X account Saturday evening. “I don’t have many words other than to say I’m truly devastated and deeply sorry to everyone who showed up to the main stage, and to those watching the livestream at home. Having the opportunity to perform the new ÆDEN show and share all the new music and art means more to me than I can express. It’s incredibly painful, especially after working day and night for the past year, not just me, but my team and the @coachella crew, who poured everything into this.”

The statement continued: “Safety was and always will be our biggest concern. The dangerous winds not only prevented us and Coachella from building our stage, but also made it impossible for my entire live setup and performance to operate safely.”

While he noted there are no other slots available for him to perform during Coachella weekend 1, Milleri wrote that he is “working on a solution to bring you some music at least,” but doesn’t want to “impose on the other artists’ slots.” “Updates soon,” he concluded.

Anyma was set to perform following Sabrina Carpenter’s headlining set on Day 1 of the festival, but the weather made it unfeasible. Attendees were notified at 12:17 a.m. of this “schedule update” with a statement posted online and sent as a push notification via the Coachella app.

“Due to strong wind conditions affecting Anyma’s stage build, he is unable to perform,” the statement read. “Coachella & Anyma have made this decision together with your safety as the priority. Further updates to come.”

Winds had gusted as high as 35-40 mph in Indio during the day Friday, and there were reports of tents being toppled in the campground area at Coachella. Weather reports for the area on Sunday, the closing day of the festival, show winds predicted at 10-20 mph, although the possibility for gusts again exists.

Even if Anyma is shut out of appearing at Coachella this weekend, he is still on the agenda for the same slot during weekend 2, this coming Friday night.

Anyma first gained popularity as one-half of the EDM duo Tale of Us.

World

Pope Leo calls out ‘delusion of omnipotence’ fueling Iran war in vigil for peace at St. Peter’s Basilica

Published

5 hours ago

April 12, 2026

Press Room

Pope Leo calls out ‘delusion of omnipotence’ fueling Iran war in vigil for peace at St. Peter’s Basilica

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Pope Leo in a Saturday vigil for peace, called out the “delusion of omnipotence” he claimed is fueling war.

“In prayer, our limited human possibilities are joined to the infinite possibilities of God. Thoughts, words and deeds then break the demonic cycle of evil and are placed at the service of the Kingdom of God,” he said in a prayer service at St. Peter’s Basilica.

He continued, “A Kingdom in which there is no sword, no drone, no vengeance, no trivialization of evil, no unjust profit, but only dignity, understanding and forgiveness. It is here that we find a bulwark against that delusion of omnipotence that surrounds us and is becoming increasingly unpredictable and aggressive.”

In posts on X and during the prayer vigil, the pontiff also warned that war “divides” while hope and faith unite humanity.

TRUMP’S LAST-MINUTE DELAY: WHY HE WAS NEVER GOING TO OBLITERATE IRAN IN THE FIRST PLACE

Pope Leo XIV leads a vigil for peace inside St. Peter’s Basilica at the Vatican on Saturday. (Gregorio Borgia/AP Photo)

“Enough of the idolatry of self and money. Enough of the display of power. Enough of war,” he wrote. “True strength is shown in serving life.”

The archbishop of Tehran, Belgian Cardinal Dominique Joseph Mathieu, was among those in the pews.

Leo’s words came on the same day Vice President JD Vance and a U.S. delegation began face-to-face talks with Iran amid an uneasy ceasefire.

MIKE PENCE WARNS JD VANCE TO AVOID OBAMA-STYLE IRAN DEAL AS NUCLEAR TALKS SET TO BEGIN IN PAKISTAN

They were some of the first American pontiff’s strongest words yet after he called President Donald Trump’s threat against Iran on Tuesday “truly unacceptable.”

“Today, as we all know, there has also been this threat against the entire people of Iran, and this is truly unacceptable,” the pope said earlier this week. “There are certainly issues of international law here, but even more so a moral issue for the good of the whole entire population.”

Pope Leo XIV speaks to the media on the U.S.–Israeli conflict with Iran, as he leaves the papal residence to head back to the Vatican, April 7, in Castel Gandolfo, Italy. (Guglielmo Mangiapane/Reuters)

Trump had written on Truth Social “A whole civilization will die tonight, never to be brought back again. I don’t want that to happen, but it probably will… God Bless the Great People of Iran!”

Hours later, the president announced a two-week ceasefire subject to Iran agreeing to “the COMPLETE, IMMEDIATE, and SAFE OPENING of the Strait of Hormuz,” the president wrote in another post.

As the high-stakes talks began on Saturday in Islamabad, Trump told reporters outside the White House: “We win regardless of what happens. Maybe they make a deal, maybe they don’t.”

Islamabad hosted peace talks between Iran and the U.S. on Saturday. (Farooq Naeem/AFP via Getty Images)

For more than a month, the pope limited his remarks to muted appeals for peace, but in his Easter blessing last Sunday, he urged “those with weapons lay them down. Let those who have the power to unleash wars choose peace.”

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Leo also invoked what he said were the final words that Pope Francis issued to the world from the same balcony one year ago, during which the late pontiff warned of a “globalization of indifference.”

“What a great thirst for death, for killing we witness each day in the many conflicts raging in different parts of the world,” Leo said, quoting Francis.

Fox News’ Jasmine Baehr and The Associated Press contributed to this report.

World

‘Enough of war!’ says Pope Leo XIV who grows increasingly frustrated

Published

6 hours ago

April 12, 2026

Press Room

‘Enough of war!’ says Pope Leo XIV who grows increasingly frustrated

By&nbspLucy Davalou&nbspwith&nbspAP

Published on
11/04/2026 – 22:18 GMT+2

Pope Leo XIV did not hold back on Saturday as he denounced the “delusion of omnipotence” that is powering the US-Israel war on Iran and urges political leaders to stop and engage in peace processes. All while, the US and Iran entered peace negotiations in Pakistan.

During an evening prayer in St. Peter’s Basilica Pope Leo XIV did not mention the US nor did he mention US President Donald Trump, however, his tone and message appeared directed at US officials and Trump, who have bragged of their military superiority and justified the war using religion.

“Enough of the idolatry of self and money!” Leo said. “Enough of the display of power! Enough of war!”

The US Military Religious Freedom Foundation (MRFF) announced on 3 March 2026 that it had received more than 200 complaints from military personnel from various branches of the armed forces – including the Marines, Air Force and Space Force – accusing their commanders of using extremist Christian rhetoric to justify war against Iran.

Among those in the basilica was the archbishop of Tehran, Dominique Joseph Mathieu. The United States was represented by Laura Hochla, the deputy chief of mission, the US Embassy said.

US-born Pope Leo XIV had initially been reluctant about openly criticising the war, however, he stepped up his criticism starting on Palm Sunday. Earlier this week, he condemned Trump’s threats to annihilate Iranian civilisation calling them “truly unacceptable” and pushed for dialogue to be prioritised.

On Saturday, the pontiff called for all people of good will to pray for peace and demand an end to war from their political leaders.

Praying for peace, Pope Leo XIV said, was a way to “break the demonic cycle of evil” to build instead the Kingdom of God where there are no swords, drones or “unjust profit.”

“It is here that we find a bulwark against that delusion of omnipotence that surrounds us and is becoming increasingly unpredictable and aggressive,” he said. “Even the holy Name of God, the God of life, is being dragged into discourses of death.”

Leaders have used religion to defend their actions in the war. US officials, especially Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth, have spoken about their Christian faith and described the United States as a Christian nation fighting its enemies.

Leo has said that God does not support any war, especially wars where bombs are dropped.

The Vatican is especially worried about Israel’s war with Hezbollah which is spreading into Lebanon, where Christian communities in the south are already suffering.