The U.S. State Department has condemned any actions by local leaders in Bosnia and Herzegovina that threaten the country’s security and stability. This statement was issued by spokesperson Tammy Bruce following the sentencing of Milorad Dodik, the president of the Republika Srpska entity, to one year in prison and a six-year ban from holding the position of president.
The United States has invested in Bosnia’s stability for decades, and Bruce emphasized strong opposition to any moves that could destabilize the nation. The U.S. reaffirms its support for the Dayton Agreement and Bosnia’s sovereignty and territorial integrity.
Dodik, who has been placed on the U.S. blacklist twice due to his anti-Dayton Peace Agreement activities, was sentenced by the Bosnian court on February 26. He was found guilty of failing to implement decisions by the High Representative of the international community, Christian Schmidt.
The ruling is a first-instance decision, and Dodik has the right to appeal. He faced charges for signing presidential decrees that validated two unconstitutional laws of Republika Srpska, which had been annulled by the High Representative. These laws pertained to non-compliance with the decisions of Bosnia’s Constitutional Court and the High Representative.
Following the sentence, Dodik told his supporters there was no reason to be concerned. He also announced that the Assembly of Republika Srpska would take several actions, including refusing the Bosnian court process and halting the Prosecutor’s Office’s work in Republika Srpska. Dodik warned that a law would be passed to block the functioning of Bosnia’s High Judicial and Prosecutorial Council and its institutions at the entity level.
The ruling has been met with criticism from Serbian leaders, who called it an “attack on Serbs.” Serbian President Aleksandar Vučić condemned the decision, calling it “shameful, illegal, and undemocratic,” claiming it aims to “destroy Republika Srpska and undermine the position of the Serbian people.”
Serbian Interior Minister Ivica Dačić echoed these sentiments, declaring that the Serbian National Security Council, under Vučić’s proposal, approved seven conclusions condemning the ruling and emphasizing the need to preserve the Dayton Agreement’s framework. Serbian Deputy Prime Minister Aleksandar Vulin also denounced the decision, calling it an “attack on Serbs and Serbia.”
