Dodik is no longer president of Republika Srpska, the Court of Bosnia and Herzegovina rules
Express newspaper
18/08/2025 15:35
The term of office of the President of Republika Srpska, Milorad Dodik, has officially ended, after the Court of Bosnia and Herzegovina rejected his lawyer’s appeal against the decision of the Central Election Commission of Bosnia and Herzegovina, which removed his mandate for this function.
The Court’s decision is final, according to the announcement of this judicial institution on August 18.
According to the Election Law of Bosnia and Herzegovina, the CEC must announce early elections for the president of Republika Srpska, which must be held within 90 days.
The mandate of the president elected in these elections will last until the general elections, scheduled for October next year.
Earlier, the CEC of Bosnia and Herzegovina decided to remove Dodik’s mandate, after the country’s Court, in early August, said that he had been sentenced to one year in prison and a six-year ban on exercising public functions in Bosnia and Herzegovina, due to non-compliance with the decisions of the high international representative.
In the complaint, which Radio Free Europe has had access to, Dodik’s legal team opposes the retroactive application of the end of the mandate, as the end date was set as June 12, while the decision to end the mandate was taken on August 6.
The participation in the vote of CEC member Vanja Bjellica Prutina on the termination of Dodik’s mandate is also opposed, as she is in a civil lawsuit with him.
Based on her defamation lawsuit, a civil procedure is underway at the Basic Court in Sokollac.
In October 2024, the judge issued a first-instance decision dismissing the lawsuit, but Vanja Bjellica Prutina filed an appeal against this decision.
Dodik has rejected both the final verdict of the Court of Bosnia and Herzegovina and the decision of the CEC, warning that a referendum will be held in Republika Srpska at the end of September.
Dodik’s team of lawyers has also requested from the Constitutional Court of Bosnia and Herzegovina a temporary measure to stop the execution of the verdict until the final decision of this court, even though Dodik, publicly, does not recognize this court.
Dodik’s legal team has previously said that appearing before the Constitutional Court is a prerequisite for later addressing the European Court of Human Rights in Strasbourg.
According to the final verdict of the Court of Bosnia and Herzegovina, Dodik was convicted for having signed the publication of laws, which were previously repealed by the High Representative, Christian Schmidt, and which provided for the non-implementation of decisions of the Constitutional Court and the Office of the High Representative in the territory of Republika Srpska.
Dodik’s legal team has requested from the Court of Bosnia and Herzegovina that the one-year prison sentence be replaced with a fine – a possibility provided for in the country’s Criminal Code – and the court has accepted that request.
Thus, Dodik will pay around 36.500 marks (more than 18.000 euros) within a year, or 100 marks (50 euros) for each day of prison. /REL/