The Patriarch of the Serbian Orthodox Church (SPC), Porfirije, stated today that the ruling from the Court of Bosnia and Herzegovina (BiH) against Republika Srpska (RS) President Milorad Dodik aims to invalidate the democratically expressed will of the Serbian population, thereby undermining the legitimacy of RS and, by extension, the entire Serbian community in BiH.

According to an SPC statement, the patriarch visited Dodik in Banja Luka today, urging all authorities to uphold their responsibility to maintain peace. He also appealed to international military units (EUFOR) to operate within their mandate to alleviate tensions and rivalries, ensuring no community feels threatened.

The statement noted that Dodik affirmed the leadership of Republika Srpska’s unity and commitment to using political and legal avenues to defend the Dayton Constitution of Bosnia and Herzegovina as the sole viable framework for coexistence in BiH.

Dodik also emphasized the church’s crucial role in safeguarding the identity of the Serbian people in the region.

The Court of Bosnia and Herzegovina in Sarajevo convicted Dodik for not implementing decisions from the High Representative of the International Community in Bosnia and Herzegovina, sentencing him to a year in prison and prohibiting him from holding the office of President of Republika Srpska for six years, effective upon the finalization of the verdict.

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