Serbs to vote on weakening Bosnia, step up secession drive

BANJA LUKA, Bosnia-Herzegovina (AP) — The Bosnian Serb parliament is convening to vote on a series of steps that would weaken the war-ravaged Balkan country’s central institutions. The Bosnian Serb leader is stepping up his secession campaign despite a threat of new U.S. and other sanctions. The lawmakers are expected Friday to vote on starting a procedure for Bosnian Serbs to withdraw from the Bosnian army, security services, tax system and judiciary. That would be another substantial follow up to repeated threats by Bosnian Serb leader Milorad Dodik to secede about a half of Bosnia and join neighboring Serbia.