The State Department acknowledges the ruling from the Court of Bosnia and Herzegovina regarding Milorad Dodik, President of the Republika Srpska entity, as shared on the “X” network by spokesperson Tami Bruce.

Dodik received a one-year prison sentence, along with a six-year prohibition from holding office, following his trial for failing to respect decisions made by the High Representative in Bosnia and Herzegovina.

State Department spokesperson Tammy Bruce stated on the official “X” account that the United States has committed to supporting a stable Bosnia and Herzegovina for decades and opposes any actions by local leaders that could jeopardize security.

“We back the Dayton Agreement and the sovereignty and territorial integrity of Bosnia and Herzegovina,” the State Department affirmed in a statement.

On February 26, the Court of BiH delivered a first-instance verdict against Milorad Dodik, sentencing him to one year in prison, in addition to a six-year ban from serving as President of Republika Srpska (RS), effective from the date the verdict is final.

Miloš Lukić, the acting director of the Official Gazette of the Republika Srpska, was found not guilty of the charges.

This verdict is subject to appeal.

Both individuals were accused of failing to adhere to decisions made by the international community’s high representative, Christian Schmidt.

Prior to the verdict, the RS leadership had threatened to take “radical decisions” and withdraw from all BiH institutions if Dodik was convicted.

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