Bosnian appeals court upholds jail time, political prohibition on Serb entity President Dodik
(MENAFN) Bosnia and Herzegovina’s Appeals Panel upheld a one-year prison sentence and a six-year ban from public office for Milorad Dodik, president of Republika Srpska, confirming a February verdict that found him guilty of ignoring decisions by the Office of the High Representative (OHR).
This final ruling enables the Central Election Commission to potentially remove Dodik from office and initiate early presidential elections in the Serb-majority entity.
The European Union reacted by emphasizing that the verdict must be respected, calling on all parties to uphold the court’s independence and impartiality.
Dodik rejected the decision as politically driven, blaming domestic Bosniak parties and foreign powers. He claimed it was part of an international effort, led by High Representative Christian Schmidt, to undermine Republika Srpska’s political autonomy. “This isn’t justice—this is an orchestrated political attack,” he said.
He maintained that he had broken no laws, arguing that his conviction is based solely on his refusal to recognize Schmidt, who he says lacks democratic legitimacy.
Dodik added that Republika Srpska’s National Assembly will determine how to respond to the ruling. Despite the court’s decision, he insisted there would be no early elections during his presidency and warned against any attempts to organize voting, saying police would prevent polling stations from being set up.
He called on the public to stay calm, framing the situation as a broader attack on Republika Srpska, not just himself personally.
Meanwhile, BiH prosecutors have also issued warrants for Dodik, Prime Minister Radovan Viskovic, and Assembly Speaker Nenad Stevandic in a separate probe related to attempts to undermine the constitutional order. That case involves RS legislation that sought to block the operations of state-level judicial and security institutions.
Although Dodik had initially refused to appeal the original ruling—claiming he didn’t recognize the court—his legal team eventually filed an appeal, which has now been denied.
Legal Disclaimer:
MENAFN provides the
information “as is” without warranty of any kind. We do not accept
any responsibility or liability for the accuracy, content, images,
videos, licenses, completeness, legality, or reliability of the information
contained in this article. If you have any complaints or copyright
issues related to this article, kindly contact the provider above.
Legal Disclaimer:
EIN Presswire provides this news content "as is" without warranty of any kind. We do not accept any responsibility or liability for the accuracy, content, images, videos, licenses, completeness, legality, or reliability of the information contained in this article. If you have any complaints or copyright issues related to this article, kindly contact the author above.
