It was all buying time for Dodik: Interpol's decision was not surprising, Dodik is available to BiH judiciary, but not to the Troika

By: Amina Čorbo-Zećo

The news that the General Secretariat of Interpol rejected BiH's request to issue an international arrest warrant for Milorad Dodik and Nenad Stevandić, spread through Bosnia and Herzegovina.

The request was rejected based on Article 3 of Interpol's statute, which prohibits political persecution.

The objections that were filed clearly bore fruit. But, legal experts and security experts were not surprised either.

Interpol's decision is not surprising, except for the political representatives in the Troika, who clearly hoped that Interpol would come to Banja Luka and arrest Dodik!?

Interpol is an international organization that coordinates police cooperation between member states. However, Interpol's function in terms of issuing arrest warrants is not just technical – it is based on certain legal guidelines that ensure the organization does not become a tool for political or other types of persecution.

In the case of Milorad Dodik and Nenad Stevandić, their political position and role in the political life of Republika Srpska, as well as in BiH, were certainly decisive factors. The accusations of attacking the constitutional order of BiH, although serious, were understood by Interpol as deeply connected to the institutional framework and political relations in the country.

Although the Court of BiH ordered the issuance of an arrest warrant for Milorad Dodik, Interpol adheres to strict guidelines in its practice, according to which it prohibits the issuance of international arrest warrants for persons considered to be victims of political persecution.

And Dodik, largely thanks to his political opponents in BiH, who hold power, has clearly managed to make himself out to be that!

It has been known from the very beginning where Milorad Dodik is. However, it seems that BiH institutions did not have adequate orders for his deprivation of liberty, so the procedure for issuing a red notice, which is issued for persons unavailable to the judiciary of a country, was initiated.

And, if someone can explain, why and how is Dodik unavailable to Bosnia and Herzegovina? Now is the right time for answers.

The story about how risky the arrest would be, however, did not find understanding at Interpol. Logically, because every arrest is risky. And, it is a greater risk to allow the division of BiH if Dodik and the secessionists are not arrested!

Interpol, as an organization, is not responsible for judging political danger or the risk of arrest – its function is to conduct international cooperation and ensure that the requested procedures are based on legality and impartiality.

Milorad Dodik has a political position in Bosnia and Herzegovina, everyone knows that. He has often been at the center of political controversies that have a clear political dimension, therefore, the request for an arrest warrant, especially while he was in BiH, was perhaps sent too early. It is as if it was forgotten that Interpol strives to avoid interfering in political disputes, as evidenced by the rejection of the arrest warrant for Dodik and Stevandić.

Therefore, responsibility for this situation should not be sought only in the frantic Dodik. Everyone in the decision-making chain, from politicians, prosecutors, courts, to police agencies, must account to the public.

Nevertheless, domestic BiH institutions must do their own job and better cope with legal and security challenges within the country before seeking external help, while the attack on the constitutional order of Bosnia and Herzegovina continues.