Bosnian Serb leader accuses judiciary of foreign influence, vows to sue government

By Talha Ozturk

BELGRADE, Serbia (AA) – Bosnian Serb leader Milorad Dodik said on Wednesday that he will file a lawsuit against the Bosnia and Herzegovina government, blaming foreign influence on the country's courts and the Prosecutor's Office.

"I believe I will be acquitted. And after the end of this case, I will then sue Bosnia and Herzegovina. This process against me will remain a black stain on Bosnia and Herzegovina's justice system. We lost significant work days and incurred financial losses as a result… I believe judges will have to pay large fines for their actions," Dodik said.

Dodik made these remarks at the Court of Bosnia and Herzegovina in Sarajevo, where he is being sued for failing to follow the Office of the High Representative of Bosnia and Herzegovina's (OHR) decisions.

The President of the Republika Srpska (RS) entity, Dodik said the constant postponement of hearings shows the case is "ridiculous."

The hearing in Dodik's case could not begin because the defense lawyers insisted on moving the legal proceedings to Banja Luka, the administrative capital of the Republika Srpska entity, while also expressing distrust in the sitting judge.

The court adjourned for the fourth time in a row, setting another date for the hearing.

"Judge Mirsad Strika of the Court of Bosnia and Herzegovina postponed today's hearing and divided the proceedings for no apparent reason, demonstrating that the president of Republika Srpska's removal from political life is the primary goal of the ongoing process.

It has once again been shown that the court and the Prosecutor's Office of BiH (Bosnia and Herzegovina) are politically influenced by foreigners. This is a purely political process that is not aided by legal facts,” Dodik alleged.

Meanwhile, entity representatives and some association members who backed the Bosnian Serb leader gathered in front of the courthouse.

In this case, the government prosecutor's office is seeking a five-year prison sentence for Dodik.

An indictment was prepared against Dodik and the entity's Official Gazette Director, Milos Lukic, for failing to comply with OHR decisions, and Dodik appeared for his first hearing on Oct. 16.

In June 2023, the National Assembly of the Republika Srpska (NSRS) decided that the High Representative's decisions should not be published in the entity's Official Gazette.

Later, High Representative Schmidt announced that the National Assembly of the Republika Srpska had canceled this decision and it could not come into force. Despite Schmidt's statement, the decision went into effect.