CEC Session: Unanimous Decision, RS President Milorad Dodik's Mandate Revoked

(Patria) - The Central Election Commission of Bosnia and Herzegovina (CEC BiH) at today's 39th session adopted a decision to revoke the mandate of the President of Republika Srpska Milorad Dodik, following the confirmed final verdict of the Court of BiH.

Three members of the CEC attended the session: President Irena Hadžiabdić, Suad Arnautović, and Željko Bakalar, while the other members joined by phone. All seven members of the CEC voted for the revocation of Dodik's mandate.

The CEC had previously formally requested a copy of the verdict from the Court of BiH, as it cannot validly initiate the mandate revocation procedure without an official document. After receiving the verdict, the Commission has a legal deadline of up to 15 days to act, while deadlines for early elections are set up to 90 days from the end of the mandate.

Dodik will no longer have the right to run for any political office until the six-year ban expires.

Today's decision by the CEC marks the beginning of the official implementation of the final verdict of the Court of BiH, by which Milorad Dodik was sentenced to one year in prison and a six-year ban from political engagement.

Let us recall, Dodik was finally convicted to a prison sentence of 1 (one) year, and a security measure of a ban from performing the duties of the President of Republika Srpska for a duration of 6 (six) years was imposed on him. However, Dodik can no longer hold any public office, i.e., one that is financed from public funds at any level.

Dodik has the right to appeal to the Appellate Division of the Court of BiH, which reviews election appeals. Given that Dodik has lost his mandate based on the verdict of the Court of BiH, the Appellate Division of the Court of BiH will confirm the CEC's decision. From that moment, which is likely the beginning of next week, Milorad Dodik will formally cease to be the President of Republika Srpska. Dodik, of course, can avoid receiving the CEC's decision, and until he receives it, the deadline for appeal to the Appellate Division of the Court of BiH will not begin to run. In this way, Milorad Dodik can buy a certain period until a final decision on the revocation of the mandate of the President of RS is made.