"Republika Srpska (an autonomous part of Bosnia and Herzegovina) already has a plan to secede from our country," Sarajevo Foreign Minister Bisera Turkovic (pictured) was quoted as saying by local H1 media.

According to her, if Milorad Dodik (former leader of the autonomous part and current member of the collective presidency of Bosnia and Herzegovina) wins the Republika Srpska presidential election in the autumn, the plan to secede from that part of our country could begin by the end of 2022

According to her, a possible secession of Republika Srpska would be a great gift for Russia.

"Moscow has huge interests in the countries of the Western Balkans," the minister added.

According to a Balkan diplomat, her country's membership in the European Union would motivate Serbs in Bosnia and Herzegovina to vote for pro-European politicians.

Serbian politician: Bosnia and Herzegovina has no chance of surviving as a state

The minister's remarks were met with harshness by Republika Srpska President Zeljko Cvijanovic.

"Ms. Turkovic's statements are in complete violation of the Constitution of Bosnia and Herzegovina. Behind them is the desire of Bosnian Muslims to expel both Serbs and Croats from the central government," she said.

According to an agreement reached in the US city of Dayton in 1995, Bosnia and Herzegovina is divided into two major autonomous parts - the Muslim-Croat Federation, located on 51 per cent of the country, and the Republika Srpska (49 per cent of the territory).

Bosnia and Herzegovina is governed by a Presidency, which rotates every eight months.

The country's three largest ethnic communities (Bosnian Muslims - Shefik Djaferovic, Serbs - Dodik and Croats - Zeljko Komsic) are represented in the supreme body.