BERLIN (AP) — The German government on Wednesday approved the deployment of up to 50 soldiers to join a European Union military mission in Bosnia.

The deployment, which still has to be signed off on by Parliament, would be authorized until June 30, 2023.

Defense Ministry spokesman David Helmbold said the troops would be deployed to the headquarters in Sarajevo and in two mobile observation and liaison teams that would act as the “eyes and ears” of the mission.

Germany last contributed troops to the mission, known as Operation Althea, about a decade ago.

The European Union and the United States have expressed concern about the possible breakup of the ethnically divided Balkan country if the peace agreement brokered over 25 years ago unravels.

The leader of Bosnia's Serbs has for years pressed for the Serb-run part of Bosnia to leave the rest of the country and unite with neighboring Serbia.

The Associated Press