The President of the Bosnian-Herzegovinian entity Republika Srpska (RS), Milorad Dodik, remarked today that the issues facing Bosnia and Herzegovina (BiH) stem from a threat to its sovereignty, primarily due to the oversight of High Representative Christian Schmidt.

“If the ambassadors from nations that regard themselves as the steering committee of the Peace Implementation Council (PIC)—a body that does not exist under the Dayton Agreement—had convened when Christian Schmidt enacted the law (amendments to the Criminal Code of BiH that resulted in his conviction), and subsequently acknowledged the destruction of the Constitution of BiH, it would have demonstrated their support for BiH’s well-being,” Dodik stated on the social media platform X.

He added that during that crucial moment, they chose to remain silent, not only regarding the egregious breach of the Constitution but also concerning a severe threat to BiH’s sovereignty.

“Isn’t there an obligation in every sovereign nation to uphold the Constitution and laws? Republika Srpska insists on such respect. The problems in BiH arise directly from the disregard for the Constitution and actions that defy the law,” Dodik emphasized.

He further articulated that the core issue lies in “the destruction of all agreements made by the legitimate representatives of the three peoples by certain foreign entities.”

“Esteemed ambassadors, if you genuinely care for BiH, please encourage Sarajevo to adhere to the Constitutional path. Republika Srpska merely requests this. Let’s not fabricate narratives about the Constitutional Court of BiH, especially when we both recognize its political manipulation,” Dodik concluded.

Today, the PIC Steering Board urged the RS authorities to promptly halt any endeavors that contravene the Dayton Peace Agreement and undermine the constitutional and legal framework of Bosnia and Herzegovina. This call follows the RS National Assembly’s recent adoption of a law prohibiting the operations of the Court and Prosecutor’s Office of BiH, the BiH Investigation and Protection Agency (SIPA), and the High Judicial and Prosecutorial Council of BiH (HJPC) within that BiH entity.

These developments came on the heels of a first-instance ruling against Dodik from the Court of BiH, which convicted him for not complying with the High Representative’s decisions, resulting in a one-year prison sentence and a six-year ban from serving as the President of the RS.

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