Bosnian authorities have issued an arrest warrant for Milorad Dodik, a prominent ethnic Serb leader, as part of an investigation surrounding allegations that he has violated the country’s constitution, according to a senior police officer.
This announcement comes just a week after police indicated their intent to question Mr. Dodik, who has shown a defiant attitude by urging federal law enforcement to disregard the warrant.
According to the head of police in Bosnia’s Muslim-Croat region, the warrant has indeed been issued, not only for Mr. Dodik but also includes orders to detain Radovan Višković, the Prime Minister of Republika Srpska, along with Parliamentary Speaker Nenad Stevandić.
“All police forces in Bosnia and Herzegovina are required to arrest these individuals and present them to the state court if they are located,” stated a police official.
Tensions have escalated in the ethnically divided Balkans following Mr. Dodik’s recent conviction for defying Christian Schmidt, the international envoy responsible for overseeing the peace accords that concluded Bosnia’s devastating war in the 1990s. Mr. Dodik’s unwavering stance highlights his commitment to his cause, as he continues to resist these rulings and laws.
In retaliation, he advocated for legislation that barred federal police and judiciary from entering Bosnia’s Serb entity, although this legislative move was eventually overturned by the constitutional court.
Since the conclusion of Bosnia’s inter-ethnic conflict, the nation has existed in two autonomous segments: the mainly Serb Republika Srpska and a Muslim-Croat region. Each entity operates its own governmental structures and parliaments, maintaining a precarious link through weak central institutions.
During a recent gathering in the RS capital, Mr. Dodik seemed unfazed by the latest developments regarding the warrant, asserting, “We will continue to execute the policies enacted by our parliament,” referring to the RS’s legislative body.
Bosnia’s political landscape, heavily impacted by the fragility post-war and the ongoing political crisis, is now marked by uncertainty. Darko Ćulum, the leader of Bosnia’s federal police force and a Dodik ally, announced his resignation from the role, opting to return to the interior ministry in Republika Srpska.
Just days before, Mr. Dodik had urged ethnic Serbs employed at Bosnia’s national institutions to resign and rejoin the administration in RS. Aligning with Mr. Dodik, Serbia’s President Aleksandar Vučić has also asserted intentions to address the warrant during his upcoming trip to Brussels.
“We could end up in a total disaster overnight. That’s why we must do everything to preserve peace and stability,” Mr. Vučić cautioned in an interview with a Serbian broadcaster.
For years, Mr. Dodik has championed a separatist agenda and has not shied away from threatening to withdraw the Serb statelet from Bosnia’s central institutions— including its army, judiciary, and tax framework. This persistent pressure has drawn sanctions from the United States.
Previously, Mr. Dodik enacted two laws that disregarded the authority of Mr. Schmidt and Bosnia’s constitutional court, culminating in his conviction last month, wherein he was sentenced to a year in prison and imposed with a six-year ban from public office.
“The events unfolding reflect the tension within our political fabric. Maintaining dialogue and collaboration is critical for the future of our region,” expressed a local political analyst.
As the situation develops, the eyes of both domestic and international communities are keenly focused on how Bosnia navigates this intricate political landscape.
Edited By Ali Musa
Axadale Times International–Monitoring.
