The leader of the Bosnian-Herzegovinian entity of Republika Srpska (RS), Milorad Dodik, announced today that he and RS Prime Minister Radovan Višković extended an invitation to the President of the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina (BiH), along with his deputies and the Prime Minister of the FBiH, to visit Banja Luka at their convenience to discuss the emerging crisis in BiH.

“We encourage them to come to Banja Luka to engage in discussions about the implementation of the Dayton Agreement and to help foster mutual understanding of our positions,” Dodik stated during a press conference held in Banja Luka.

He emphasized that RS is committed to its stance in BiH as outlined by the original Dayton Agreement and the Constitution of BiH, which excludes the state court, prosecutor’s office, the High Judicial and Prosecutorial Council (HJPC), the state intelligence service, and the BiH Armed Forces.

“We are open to negotiating with the Federation of BiH on this matter; however, if they refuse, we will act independently, as we possess sufficient resources to uphold our decisions,” Dodik remarked, affirming that the RS holds no claims against the Federation of BiH.

He further stated that while RS supports BiH’s European aspirations, it opposes any abuse of that path.

“One such abuse involves the BiH Court and Prosecutor’s Office, as these entities are not encompassed in the Constitution of BiH,” Dodik commented at the press conference in Banja Luka.

Dodik referred to the state court and prosecutor’s office as “a legal racket that has only generated issues, making it essential to address this matter now.”

He declared that RS will no longer acknowledge the HJPC’s decisions and that the RS parliament will establish its own entity HJPC.

“We will invite Serbs from RS currently serving in the HJPC BiH to transition to the HJPC RS. Those opting to remain should relocate to Sarajevo,” Dodik added.

Furthermore, he revealed that RS leadership has engaged in discussions with various entities outside of BiH, highlighting that all parties they consulted view the BiH Court’s ruling against him as “political persecution and an effort to personalize the Republika Srpska process through the targeting of the RS President.”

Dodik expressed gratitude to Patriarch Porfirije of the Serbian Orthodox Church (SPC) for visiting Banja Luka today, underlining the SPC’s role in promoting peace, conversation, and dialogue.

Previously, the Court of First Instance of BiH sentenced Dodik to one year in prison and barred him from serving as President of Republika Srpska for six years due to his failure to implement decisions made by the High Representative of the International Community in BiH, Kristian Schmidt.

Conversely, the second defendant, Miloš Lukić, acting director of the Official Gazette, was acquitted of all charges.

Cvijanović: The ruling against Dodik was predetermined

Željka Cvijanović, Chairperson of the Presidency of Bosnia and Herzegovina (BiH), stated today in Banja Luka that the court’s verdict against Dodik had been pre-written and that there were numerous abuses during the legal proceedings.

“We have compiled several reports regarding this verdict which we will distribute to multiple recipients and which highlight the misuse of the High Representative’s authority. The trial was not conducted lawfully, illustrating significant abuses within BiH, and I will provide accurate information on this tomorrow,” Cvijanović mentioned during the press conference.

She noted that many countries would be informed of the abuses within the BiH defense system.

Cvijanović remarked that she has yet to encounter any “serious country” that supports the ruling against Dodik.

According to her, the verdict is politically charged, aimed at revoking Dodik’s political activity.

The Chairperson of the Presidency of BiH highlighted that all actions by RS authorities are directed towards “restoring peace and order in BiH,” urging other political figures in BiH to engage in dialogue.

Cvijanović strongly criticized the European Union (EU), expressing her bewilderment that the EU “provides funding to a problematic entity such as the Office of the High Representative (OHR),” and cannot accept that “an unelected foreign individual has the power to alter laws which then become the domain of judicial institutions.”

“This is a great shame for the EU,” she concluded.

Adding to her remarks, she expressed satisfaction over recent discussions with responsible parties within the American authorities who are interested in investigating the misappropriation of funds by the Agency for International Development (USAID) in BiH.

Portal: Enhanced security for judge who sentenced Dodik

Security for Judge Sena Uzunović of the Court of Bosnia and Herzegovina (BiH), who recently sentenced Republika Srpska President Milorad Dodik for defying decisions from High Representative Christian Schmidt, has been elevated to the highest security level, according to reports from the Sarajevo-based portal Raport.

As per the portal, Uzunović and her family are currently protected by at least five police officers from the Directorate for Coordination of Police Bodies of BiH.

This police protection was instituted several months prior, with reinforcements added just before the verdict was announced.

The report indicated that the Directorate for Coordination of Police Bodies of BiH is attempting to identify two individuals from the Banja Luka area, who, a day prior to the verdict, had threatened Uzunović via social media, including a video recorded from a vehicle.

Additional threats directed at Sena Uzunović emerged yesterday following the announcement of the verdict, according to the Raport portal.

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