Igor Stojanović, Vice President of the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina, announced that he has filed a criminal complaint against Milorad Dodik, President of Republika Srpska, with the Prosecutor’s Office of Bosnia and Herzegovina.
Allegation: Inciting ethnic, racial, and religious hatred
Grounds: Public remarks that insult the dignity of Bosniaks and violate rights protected by the Constitution and international law
Stojanović stated:
“I have both an institutional and moral obligation to act when the foundations of the state—equality, safety, and dignity—are threatened.”
He emphasized that silence in the face of hate speech is not an option, saying:
“Patriotism means defending the dignity of every person and the values on which this country stands.”
What Did Dodik Say?
On April 29, during a press conference after a ruling coalition meeting, Dodik made inflammatory claims:
🔹 Suggested Bosniaks should ‘return to the faith of their ancestors’ so Bosnia could be “majority Serb”
🔹 Denied the Bosniak identity, calling them “converts”
Legal and Political Context:
- The Criminal Code of BiH prohibits public incitement of national, racial, or religious hatred, punishable by prison.
- Dodik is already wanted by the BiH Court and Prosecutor’s Office for attacking the constitutional order.
- Also on the wanted list:
Nenad Stevandić (President of RS Assembly)
Radovan Višković (RS Prime Minister)
Analysts warn that such dehumanizing rhetoric is reminiscent of the 1990s, when hate speech preceded atrocities, including the 1995 Srebrenica genocide.
