Transparency International of Bosnia and Herzegovina (TI BiH) filed criminal charges against the Republika Srpska (RS) entity President for his statements during election campaign meetings in which he threatened voters.

“During election campaign meetings in Ugljevik, Banjaluka and Gacko, Milorad Dodik made a number of statements with elements defined under the RS Criminal Code related to coercion, violation of citizens’ equality, public provocation and incitement to violence and hatred, bribery during elections and voting, and violation of the freedom of voters’ determination,” the TI BIH said.

They say that Article 151 of the Criminal Code of Bosnia prohibits all these things and that apart from the prosecutions in Banjaluka, Gacko and Ugljevik, they filed charges against Dodik with the state level Prosecution, as well.

“Using his position of the RS President, Dodik threatened the pensioners of taking away their one-time aid if they don’t vote for his party, the Alliance of Independent Social Democrats (SNSD). At the same time, he concluded that this aid is paid so they could vote for the SNSD” the TI BiH noted. “Continuing this practice, Dodik said that all the medical professionals who supported the Head of the Trade Union of Medical Professionals, Miodrag Femic, will not get the earlier announces salary raise. He also said that all the employees of the Gacko Thermal Power Plant who vote for the Serb Democratic Party and their candidate Vukota Govedarica will be sacked.”

Apart from the criminal charges, the TI BiH filed a complaint to the Central Election Commission for Dodik’s violations of Bosnia’s Election Law.