Milorad Dodik, the President of the Republika Srpska entity, has declared on Wednesday his intention to block the entry of the high-ranking representative of the International Community in Bosnia and Herzegovina, Christian Schmidt, into the Serbian entity in Bosnia and Herzegovina.

This announcement comes shortly after legal charges were brought against Dodik for allegedly violating laws that would allow the Serbian entity of Bosnia, known as Republika Srpska, to circumvent or disregard decisions made by the high-ranking official in Bosnia and the Constitutional Court.

In a press conference held in Banja Luka, the capital of Republika Srpska, Dodik expressed his lack of respect for Schmidt.

Dodik stated that they are currently working on a decree to reverse Schmidt’s authority and to plan for his arrest should he attempt to enter the region.

Christian Schmidt is responsible for overseeing the civilian aspects of the Dayton Agreement, which brought an end to the devastating Bosnian war in the 1990s.

As an international representative, Schmidt holds significant powers, including the ability to remove appointed officials and enact legislation.

However, Dodik has consistently refused to acknowledge Schmidt’s authority, particularly after Schmidt lost the support of the United Nations due to interventions by Russia and China.

This latest development follows months of escalating tensions in the Balkan region, which were exacerbated by Dodik’s controversial legislative actions earlier in the summer.

In July, Schmidt invalidated both laws signed by Dodik, further deepening the rift between the two parties.