The BiH Investigation and Protection Agency (SIPA) has declined to assist the Judicial Police of Bosnia and Herzegovina (BiH) in detaining the President of Republika Srpska (RS), Milorad Dodik, as well as the Speaker of the RS National Assembly, Nenad Stevandić, and entity Prime Minister Radovan Višković, as reported by Radio Television RS (RTRS).

Media outlets in Sarajevo indicated that SIPA’s leadership, led by Darko Ćulum, determined that there was currently a “significant security risk” for agency personnel to help the BiH Judicial Police in this detention.

Previously, the RS Ministry of Interior also declined an order to support the arrest of top RS officials.

An arrest request for Dodik, Stevandić, and Višković followed their failure to comply with a summons from the BiH Prosecutor’s Office regarding charges of “undermining the constitutional order of BiH.”

Per established protocols, when suspects do not respond to a Prosecutor’s Office summons, a detention order is issued, followed by an arrest warrant.

If suspects evade custody, both a central and an Interpol arrest warrant are activated.

RS President Milorad Dodik today dismissed the notion of EUFOR forces assisting in his arrest, claiming that the Altea Mission lacks the necessary mandate. However, unofficial sources from Beta suggest that such assistance is still considered a possibility among political and security circles in Sarajevo and Banja Luka.

SIPA spokesperson Jelena Miovčić refuted media claims that SIPA had today denied assistance to the BiH Judicial Police in detaining Milorad Dodik and others implicated in undermining the constitutional order of BiH.

“We did not refuse assistance; instead, further security checks are required,” Miovčić stated to the Banja Luka portal Srpskainfo.

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