SIPA confirms attempted arrest of Dodik

(Patria) - Members of the State Investigation and Protection Agency (SIPA) briefly appeared in front of the RS Government building in East Sarajevo, where entity president Milorad Dodik, for whom an arrest warrant has been issued, was located.

After visiting Šekovići, where he discussed the eastern gas interconnection project, Dodik arrived in East Sarajevo at the RS Government building, located less than two kilometers by road from SIPA headquarters, where he was having a meeting, after which a press conference was announced.

While cameramen were filming inserts of the meeting, SIPA vehicles arrived in front of the Government building and left the area after a few minutes.

- I can confirm that SIPA members were in the administrative center of the RS Government in East Sarajevo, in connection with acting on a BiH Court order regarding the criminal offense of non-execution of the Constitutional Court's decision.

We attempted to execute the order, but SIPA members were prevented by the Ministry of Internal Affairs - said SIPA spokesperson Jelena Miovčić to Detektor.

Darko Ćulum, who is still the official director of SIPA, told Detektor that he "has nothing to do with this, nor does he know who does".

More than a month ago, a central arrest warrant was issued for Dodik and RS Prime Minister Radovan Višković, and the President of the RS National Assembly Nenad Stevandić.

Earlier, the BiH Court had ordered their detention after they refused to appear for questioning at the BiH Prosecutor's Office, when an investigation was launched against them for undermining the constitutional order.

On February 26, the BiH Court sentenced Dodik in the first instance to one year in prison and a six-year ban from holding the office of president for not respecting the decisions of the High Representative.

Miloš Lukić, acting director of the "Official Gazette of the RS", was acquitted of guilt by the same verdict.

Dodik was found guilty of, from July 1 to 9, 2023, in Banja Luka, consciously and knowing that the High Representative Christian Schmidt had made a decision preventing the Law on Non-Application of Decisions of the Constitutional Court of BiH from July 1 of the same year from entering into force, as well as the decision preventing the Law on Amendments to the Law on Publication of Laws and Other Regulations of the RS from entering into force, taking actions aimed at continuing the legislative procedure, not applying and not implementing the decisions of the High Representative.

Both the Prosecution and the Defense have appealed this verdict.