This morning, a significant police presence was reported outside the Palace of the Republic in Banja Luka, according to RTRS.

The Prosecutor’s Office of Bosnia and Herzegovina (BiH) has issued a summons for questioning for three high-ranking officials: the President of the Republika Srpska, Milorad Dodik; the Prime Minister, Radovan Višković; and the President of the National Assembly, Nenad Stevandić. This follows their failure to respond to a previous request related to their involvement as suspects in the alleged destabilization of BiH’s constitutional order.

Charges have been opened against the trio for “undermining the constitutional order,” stemming from laws enacted by the RS National Assembly on February 27, which prohibited the operations of the Prosecutor’s Office, the Court of BiH, the High Judicial and Prosecutorial Council (HJPC), and SIPA within the territory of the RS.

Officers are stationed around the Palace of the Republic, with police vehicles parked at the site. There is also standard police security at the RS National Assembly.

In contrast, the atmosphere at the office of the RS President is celebratory, as it coincides with Dodik’s birthday.

Dodik, Višković, and Stevandić are expected to hold a press conference in Banja Luka at noon.

RTRS has reported that the Ministry of Interior of the Republika Srpska has not received any requests for assistance regarding the detention of these officials.

According to Željko Dragojević, the Director of the Judicial Police of the Republika Srpska, the Judicial Police have not been issued and cannot issue any arrest warrants.

Previously, RTRS indicated that the Investigation and Protection Agency had received a request for help from the Court Police of the Court of BiH concerning the detention of the three officials, but noted that actions by this agency are prohibited within RS territory.

Karan: Everyone will be protected

The Minister of Internal Affairs of RS, Siniša Karan, emphasized that the primary role of the RS Ministry of Internal Affairs is to safeguard the constitutional order, assuring that there will be no arrests made, as reported by RTRS.

“The Ministry’s mission is to uphold the constitutional order along with its institutions, representatives, and all citizens. We will fulfill that mission to the fullest,” Karan stated during an ATV interview.

According to him, the laws passed by the RS National Assembly delineate the framework for the operations of the RS Ministry of Interior.

He stated that these laws deem the Court and Prosecutor’s Office of BiH, SIPA, and the HJPC as unconstitutional entities, prohibiting their operation within the Republika Srpska. This underlies the framework within which the Ministry operates,” Karan added.

He reassured that Dodik, Višković, Stevandić, their fellow ministers, and all citizens have complete protection.

“They will have the full support of the Ministry of Interior. These institutions cannot, will not, and must not function within the Republika Srpska. These are the laws of the Republika Srpska, incumbent upon us by the Constitution, our ethical, moral, and professional obligation, and the Ministry of Interior’s responsibility. No one will be arrested and everyone will be safeguarded,” Karan affirmed.

SNSD spokesperson: No one wants to and cannot arrest the RS state leadership

Radovan Kovačević, spokesperson for the Alliance of Independent Social Democrats (SNSD), stated today that the political leadership of the Republika Srpska cannot be arrested.

“No one will and cannot arrest the state leadership of RS. Republika Srpska is not waging an attack on the constitutional order; on the contrary, it is making decisions to which it is entitled under the BiH and RS Constitutions,” Kovačević claimed, as reported by RTRS.

He added that any form of radicalization from Sarajevo will trigger a “strong political and institutional response” from the RS.

As spokesperson for the SNSD, led by Milorad Dodik, Kovačević declared the BiH Prosecutor’s Office to be unconstitutional, asserting it is attempting to implicate the RS leadership based on unauthorized amendments to BiH’s criminal code by the “illegal and unrecognized foreign citizen Kristijan Šmit.”

He concluded that the ongoing crisis in BiH was instigated by Šmit’s unconstitutional and unauthorized interference in the legislative process, allowing the unconstitutional Court and Prosecutor’s Office of BiH to politically and unlawfully pursue the President of RS.

Kovačević asserted that the RS will persist in its efforts to make political decisions that it is entitled to pursue in accordance with the Constitution.

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