Serbia rejects Bosnia court verdict against Dodik, cites bias
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Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic and the National Security Council have condemned the Bosnia and Herzegovina court's verdict against Republika Srpska President Milorad Dodik, declaring it invalid in Serbia.
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Bosnian Serb President Milorad Dodik speaks during a press conference after an appeals court in Bosnia-Herzegovina confirmed an earlier court ruling that sentenced to one year in prison and banned him from politics for six years over his separatist actions, in the Bosnian town of Banja Luka, 240 kms northwest of Sarajevo, Friday, August. 1, 2025 (AP Photo/Radivoje Pavicic)
The Serbian National Security Council has issued a strong condemnation of the Bosnia and Herzegovina (BiH) court verdict against Republika Srpska President Milorad Dodik; Republika Srpska is one of two entities in BiH. Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic announced that Serbia does not recognize the verdict and declared it legally invalid on Serbian territory.
The Milorad Dodik verdict, issued by a Sarajevo-based court, sentenced the Republika Srpska president to one year in prison and imposed a six-year ban from holding public office. The ruling came in response to Dodik's refusal to comply with the decisions of Christian Schmidt, the UN high representative in BiH, unrecognized by Republika Srpska, Russia, or China.
Vucic affirms Dodik's safety within Serbian borders
Aleksandar Vucic emphasized Serbia's unwavering support for Dodik, stating on Friday that "as long as he was alive," he would never accept the sentence. He also confirmed that the Serbia National Security Council had unanimously adopted a resolution affirming that Dodik would not be arrested if he entered Serbia.
"The decision of BiH’s second-instance [appellate] chamber is harshly condemned… Although passed in the 21st century, this ruling is undemocratic, uncivilized, and immoral. Serbia does not recognize the verdict, and the National Security Council concludes that the situation in the region has been seriously destabilized," Vucic said following the council meeting.
Legal challenges and international implications
Following the announcement of the verdict, Dodik called for Serbia's unconditional support and sought backing from both Russia and the United States. His lawyer, Goran Bubic, stated on Friday that they plan to seek suspension of the verdict and appeal it at the European Court of Human Rights (ECHR).
On March 12, the BiH Prosecutor's Office directed the Investigation and Protection Agency (SIPA) to detain Dodik, along with Republika Srpska Prime Minister Radovan Viskovic and National Assembly Chairman Nenad Stevandic.
Dodik was convicted for repeatedly refusing to implement decisions made by Christian Schmidt. These included efforts to block the publication of Schmidt’s decrees in the Official Gazette of Republika Srpska, thereby nullifying their legal effect within the entity. Schmidt responded by annulling the RS law and criminalizing non-compliance with decisions of the High Representative.
Additionally, Dodik promoted legislation banning the operation of central judicial and security institutions in Republika Srpska, including the Court of BiH, the Prosecutor’s Office, and SIPA, while granting immunity to RS officials who enforced these bans. His continued defiance of the High Representative's mandate and repeated rejections of state-level authority formed the core basis of the court’s ruling.
Interpol and European Court of Human Rights involvement
On April 16, the Bosnia and Herzegovina court submitted a request to Interpol via its National Central Bureau in Sarajevo to revisit the decision rejecting the arrest warrant for Dodik and Stevandic. The next day, Dodik reported that Interpol had refused to act on the court's politically motivated request.
