The opposition in Bosnia's Republika Srpska entity expressed support to the European path of Bosnia and Herzegovina during the meeting with the European Parliament delegation on Monday, stressing that Republika Srpska is a reality and that European Union should show understanding towards the entity's interests.

“Accepting the reality – which is one and only is a top priority, that Republika Srpska is internationally recognised factor within the Dayton Bosnia and Herzegovina, with the Constitution that provides a broad framework for the development of Republika Srpska (the Serb-majority entity) and Federation of BiH (the Bosniak-Croat entity) as well as Bosnia and Herzegovina,” said Branislav Borenovic, the leader of the PDP party.

He said everyone should accept this as well as the fact that there are three constituent peoples who live in this country – the Serbs, the Bosniaks and the Croats as well as the Others.

Republika Srpska and Banja Luka, its administrative centre, is as much of a reality as Sarajevo and joint institutions, stressed the opposition leader.

According to him, the biggest challenge the country is facing is corruption as the most serious internal problem of Bosnia and Herzegovina.

Speaking of the recent meeting of Bosnian political leaders with the EU officials in Brussels, Borenovic noted that the “ruling political elites in Bosnia and Herzegovina often gave variosu promises to impress the collocutor who comes from the European Union.”

He found it “hypocritical” to get obliged to meet 14 priorities set by the European Commission and adopt three laws six months after the October elections, wondering why it is not done now.

“I refuse to be an accomplice in creating of signatures by the ruling elite who is the most responsible for the stalemate on the European path,” he added.

DNS leader Nenad Nesic noted during the meeting with MEPs that his party is committed to the “European road of Republika Srpska and Bosnia and Herzegovina,” but without Republika Srpska losing any of its competencies.

“European Union needs to have understanding for Republika Srpska and its interests, our history,” he stressed.

Mirko Sarovic, the SDS leader, said that the EU membership, the candidate status for Bosnia and Herzegovina an the Dayton Peace Agreement – the peace deal which ended the Bosnian 1992-95 war and introduced the country's constitutional system, were among the topics discussed with the EP delegation.

The MEPs were previously visited Sarajevo, where they expressed support for the EU candidate status of Bosnia and Herzegovina.