Milorad Dodik, the leader of the separatist Bosnian Serbs, was removed from his position as president of Bosnia’s Republika Srpska, the country’s electoral authorities.
Following an earlier ruling from the appeals court, which forethrew him into jail for a year and forejoyed his political participation for a further six years.
Dodik was given a sentence in Sarajevo in February for breaking the international envoy’s 1995 peace agreements, which were triggered by the early 1990s conflict there.
According to commission member Suad Arnautovic, the Central Electoral Commission (CEC) made the decision to apply the law, which forbids an elected official from serving in office after serving for more than six months in prison.
After the appeals period expires, the commission’s decision against Milorad Dodik will become effective. Within 90 days, according to Arnautovic, an early election for the president of Bosnia’s autonomous Serb Republic would be held.
Dodik’s attorneys announced their intention to file the case with Bosnia and Herzegovina’s Constitutional Court.
There are no “surrender” and “giving up” in existence. Dodik stated in a post on X that he would not give up on serving as president, adding that he would continue to do so.
Bosnian Serb government claims that it is “politically motivated.”
The February court’s decision, which sentenced Dodik to prison and forbade him from engaging in political activity, was upheld on Friday by the appeals court in Bosnia and Herzegovina. In consequence, his post as Bosnian Serb president was terminated.
Dodik added that he would continue to serve as Bosnian Serb president as long as he had the backing of the Bosnian Serb parliament, as well as rejecting the court’s decision at the time.
The government of Bosnia and Herzegovina criticized the court’s decision, calling it “unconstitutional and politically motivated.”
Dodik has received the backing of Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban, Serbia’s Aleksandar Vucic, and its allies in the world.
The European Union, in contrast, stated last week that the “verdict is binding and must be respected.”
Bosnia is considering joining the EU, but Dodik’s separatist and pro-Russian activities have stalled progress.
Dodik has repeatedly demanded that Serbia join the Serb entity, which has prompted the former US administration to impose sanctions on him and his allies.
Bosniaks are especially concerned about his separatist threats because of them.
Bosnian Serbs rebelled against the former Yugoslavian government and formed a mini-state to unite it with Serbia between 1992 and 1995, starting a war. About 100,000 people were killed and millions were displaced, according to the report.
Republika Srpska and the Bosniak-Croat Federation were two regions in Bosnia that were supported by the US-sponsored Dayton Accords, which put an end to the conflict.
Although the regions are largely autonomous, there are some joint institutions, including the army, the highest court, and the tax administration. Bosniaks, Bosnian Serbs, and Bosnian Croats make up the rotating three-member presidency in Bosnia.
Source: Aljazeera
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