UN Security Council held closed consultations on Dodik's verdict: Russia claims it leads BiH into trouble

(Patria) - Russia's Chargé d'Affaires to the United Nations, Ambassador Dmitry Polyanskiy, said on Thursday that Russia informed members of the United Nations Security Council during closed consultations about the "threats to stability" in Bosnia and Herzegovina following the verdict against Milorad Dodik, the president of the Bosnian Serb entity, Republika Srpska.

Addressing reporters after the closed consultations, he stated that Dodik was "prosecuted" for the decisions of the "illegitimate High Representative" Christian Schmidt.

"He (the High Representative in BiH) is not legitimate, because he was not approved by Republika Srpska, as he should have been, and also, he was not approved by the UN Security Council," said Polyanskiy.

He noted that this is an issue that "has a certain history" and added that Russia had previously "warned" that the High Representative's actions could "potentially lead the country into trouble".

"This is happening right now. So, this situation, where Mr. Dodik is being prosecuted, is a threat to the stability of Bosnia and Herzegovina, and we decided to draw the attention of the UN Security Council members to this very unfortunate development," added Polyanskiy.

Milorad Dodik was sentenced to one year in prison and a six-year ban from holding public office by a final verdict of the Appellate Panel of the Court of Bosnia and Herzegovina for non-compliance with the decisions of the High Representative in BiH, earlier this month.

He was found guilty of refusing to implement the High Representative's decisions from July 1 to July 9, 2023, to prevent the entry into force of the entity's Law on Non-application of Decisions of the Constitutional Court of BiH and to prevent the entry into force of the Law on Amendments to the Law on Publication of Laws and Other Regulations of Republika Srpska from July 1, 2023. On July 7 of that year, Dodik signed decrees proclaiming the aforementioned laws.

The High Representative had previously, on July 1, 2023, amended the Criminal Code of BiH by decision, introducing the criminalization of non-execution of his decisions.

The Central Election Commission (CIK) made the decision to revoke the mandate of the President of Republika Srpska in accordance with the Election Law of BiH, which stipulates the procedure for determining the termination of mandates of elected officials who have been finally convicted of prison sentences longer than six months.

Dodik has the right to appeal the CIK's decision to the Appellate Department of the Court of BiH, which reviews election appeals.

Dodik rejected the CIK's decision and announced a referendum in Republika Srpska on his mandate.

The CIK should also call early elections for the president of Republika Srpska.