The President of the Republika Srpska entity, Milorad Dodik, and the acting director of the official newspaper of Republika Srpska, Miloš Lukić, have declined to appear before the court in Bosnia and Herzegovina in connection with the indictment that charges them with a criminal offense for failing to comply with decisions made by the High Representative in Bosnia and Herzegovina, Christian Schmidt.
During a session held on Monday, October 16, Dodik expressed his confusion regarding the indictment, stating, “I don’t know why they have filed an indictment against me, and I don’t comprehend the charges”.
Furthermore, Dodik refused to rise from his seat when the judge requested that he provide personal information and respond to the allegations, citing “back pain” as the reason.
In adherence to her official duty, Judge Jasmine Dedović Cosić declared Dodik and Lukić not guilty of the charges.
Following the session, Dodik voiced his concerns to the media, characterizing the Court and the Prosecutor’s Office of Bosnia and Herzegovina as “illegitimate, illegal, and imposed”. He deemed the legal proceedings against him to be politically motivated.
Dodik argued that the laws he had signed, which led to the indictment against him and Lukić, had passed through all constitutional procedures in the National Assembly of Republika Srpska.
He emphasized his intention to defend himself as the “President of Republika Srpska” and suggested that “this stance would ultimately lead to the dissolution of Bosnia and Herzegovina”.
Dodik also raised objections regarding the language of the indictment, pointing out that it had not been delivered to him in Cyrillic, which he is proficient in.
In August, the Prosecutor’s Office of Bosnia and Herzegovina filed charges against Dodik and Lukić for their failure to adhere to decisions made by the High Representative in Bosnia and Herzegovina, Christian Schmidt. These charges were subsequently amended and confirmed on September 11.
In June, the National Assembly of Republika Srpska enacted laws related to the non-publication of decisions by the High Representative and non-compliance with decisions issued by the Constitutional Court of Bosnia and Herzegovina.
High Representative Schmidt subsequently invalidated these laws.
Dodik signed the decree to enforce these laws, and Lukić published them in the Official Gazette of Republika Srpska.
Schmidt, when revoking the Republika Srpska law, introduced changes to the Criminal Code of Bosnia and Herzegovina, making non-compliance with decisions made by the High Representative a criminal offense.
