SCHMIDT'S ORDER RESPECTED: All levels of government in BiH suspend payments to SNSD and United Srpska

(Patria) - All levels of government have respected the decision of High Representative Christian Schmidt to suspend budget payments at all levels in BiH to the party of Milorad Dodik and its coalition partner in the RS.

Municipal, cantonal, entity and state levels of government have suspended funds for the Alliance of Independent Social Democrats (SNSD) and United Srpska - which is Dodik's coalition partner in the entity government of the RS, confirmed by the Office of the High Representative (OHR) for Radio Free Europe (RFE).

"All payments of budget funds for financing the political parties SNSD and United Srpska in the Parliamentary Assembly of BiH, the Parliament of FBiH, the National Assembly of RS, cantonal assemblies, city and municipal councils/assemblies, and the Assembly of Brčko District have been suspended, in accordance with the High Representative's Decision of April 24, 2025," the OHR states.

They emphasize that persons responsible for budget execution at all levels, including banks, are responsible and obliged to transfer the suspended funds to a special account opened for this purpose by the Central Bank of BiH.

High Representative Christian Schmidt made that decision on April 24. Schmidt, speaking in Sarajevo at the time, said that the suspension of funding applies to budgets at all levels, from state, entity to municipal, stressing that "anti-Dayton action has consequences and that he will reconsider his decision once it ceases."

- All funds for these parties, at all levels of government, will be suspended and redirected to a special account at the Central Bank of BiH - Schmidt said then.

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VIDEO Schmidt ukinuo finansiranje SNSD-a i Ujedinjene srpske iz svih budžeta

(Patria) - Visoki predstavnik Christian Schmidt kazao je u današnjem obraćanju da je donio odluku kojom se obustavljaju sve isplate iz budžetskih sredstava za političke stranke SNSD i Ujedinjena srpska na čijem su čelu Milorad Dodik i Nenad Ste

He stated that the decision takes effect immediately and that with it he aims to support the efforts of BiH institutions to counter "flagrant attacks by the ruling coalition in the RS, led by SNSD and United Srpska, on the fundamental principles of the Dayton Agreement and the constitutional-legal order of BiH."

- SNSD and United Srpska continuously instrumentalize RS institutions to prevent BiH institutions from effectively implementing decisions and their jurisdiction across the entire territory of the country - Schmidt said.

He accused the leaderships of the two parties of inciting RS institutions and citizens to commit criminal acts, threatening them with sanctions if they show resistance and disobedience.

- State institutions are rooted in the Dayton Agreement, and any non-compliance with the decision I have made is subject to criminal liability and may result in further measures - Schmidt stated.

According to data from the financial reports of political parties, SNSD received just over two million KM from budgets at all levels last year, and United Srpska just over 395,000 KM.

Schmidt's decision ordered banks, in which the two parties have accounts, to transfer the money paid to them from budgets to the account of the Central Bank of BiH, and to inform the OHR about this.

Dodik and the leader of United Srpska, Nenad Stevandić, who is the President of the RSNA, are suspected of attacking the constitutional order, along with RS Prime Minister Radovan Višković.

A central warrant was issued for them in March, as they did not respond to the summons for questioning by the BiH Prosecutor's Office. This means that each of the total of 16 police agencies at all levels of government in BiH should arrest them, which has not been done to date.

At the end of February, Dodik was sentenced in the first instance before the Court of BiH to one year in prison and a six-year ban on political activity for disregarding the decisions of the High Representative and signing decrees enacting laws that Schmidt had previously annulled.

The High Representative has powers, confirmed by both the Constitutional Court of BiH and the European Court of Human Rights in Strasbourg, to impose laws and dismiss officials. He also amended the Criminal Code of BiH and introduced that his decisions are binding.

The day after the first-instance verdict against Dodik was pronounced, the RSNA adopted an unconstitutional law banning the work of the Court and Prosecutor's Office of BiH, the State Investigation and Protection Agency (SIPA), and the High Judicial and Prosecutorial Council (HJPC) of BiH.

The RS authorities claim they will not back down from this law, although the Constitutional Court of BiH temporarily suspended its application on March 7.