The safety of Milan Tegeltija, the President of the High Judicial and Prosecutorial Council, and all other officials coming from Republika Srpska is jeopardised in Sarajevo, Serb Presidency member Milorad Dodik told a press conference on Tuesday.
“The officials from Republika Srpska conducting the Republika Srpska's policy remain honourable but those who accept to be vassals have sold themselves to the international community and other factors,” said Dodik, the State Presidency member elected in Republika Srpska (RS), Bosnia's Serb-dominated entity.
Bosnia's other semi-autonomous region is Federation (FBiH), and it is shared by other two major ethnic groups, the Bosniaks and Croats. That's where the capital Sarajevo and most of the state-level institutions are located.
Dodik met Tegeltija and RS President, Zeljka Cvijanovic, to discuss the recent affair involving the High Judicial and Prosecutorial Council (HJPC) President, who was nominated by RS courts in 2014 for a member of the HJPC, the state top judicial body overseeing the work of judges and prosecutors.
Tegeltija recently came into the spotlight for his alleged involvement in influence-peddling. The issue was discussed by the Council members, who told Tegeltija he should “consider resigning.”
Some foreign embassies also reacted, expressing concerns over the situation in Bosnia's judiciary and allegations involving the HJPC President.
Tegeltija himself claimed he was framed.
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Today, the RS leadership, including Dodik and Cvijanovic, expressed strong support for the HJPC President as well as doubts about an attempt to push Tegeltija out of this state institution.
“They want to expel Tegeltija from HJPC by jeopardising him and sending messages that he will be killed in Sarajevo. The murder messages for me and other people are an everyday thing. Whoever represents the interests of RS will have the same experience as Tegeltija,” stressed Dodik.
The Serb Presidency member also said this was not “a specific separate case,” adding that this was all related to creating a new atmosphere on the occasion of the appointment of US President-elect Joe Biden and “people being scared with some new concepts.”
According to him, there is an “overall plan of destroying RS” and a “hurricane of attacks on RS is being prepared.”
Tegeltija also addressed the press conference in Banja Luka, the RS administrative centre, saying it was his duty to inform the RS President and the Serb Presidency member about the situation.
“As far as I am concerned, the conditions to work at the level of Bosnia and Herzegovina are becoming impossible for me, personally. It is impossible to perform my duty in a dignified and legal manner under those conditions,” he said, adding that he would make a final decision on his further steps on Thursday.
