Bosnia's UN ambassador: Russia stands alone in UN Security Council defending Dodik

The statement came after the UN Security Council held closed consultations overnight at Russia's request, which was backed by China, to discuss the situation in Bosnia and Herzegovina. Following the meeting, Russian Deputy Ambassador Dmitry Polyansky told reporters in New York that he insisted on the argument that Christian Schmidt was not lawfully appointed High Representative for BiH and that his actions undermine the country's stability. Polyansky claimed Dodik's conviction was evidence of this threat.

This is a threat to the stability of Bosnia and Herzegovina, and we decided to draw the Security Council members' attention to this very unfortunate development, Polyansky said.

However, Ambassador Lagumdžija said Russia's political manoeuvre yielded no results.

In a Facebook post, he noted that Russia stood alone in its criticism of the Office of the High Representative (OHR) and Christian Schmidt, while all other Security Council members expressed support for Bosnia and Herzegovina's territorial integrity and sovereignty, including consistent respect for the rule of law and all court decisions as well as those of the Central Election Commission (SIP).

The Security Council called for dialogue in Bosnia and Herzegovina, Lagumdžija added, but emphasised this must not come at the expense of the rule of law or the country's constitutional order.

"The attempt by the 'MBB axis' (Moscow, Belgrade, Banja Luka) to, at any cost, including abuse of the Security Council, 'save private Dodik' has once again ended in failure," Lagumdžija concluded.

Following Dodik's final conviction for failing to implement the High Representative's decisions, only Russia, Serbia, and Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán have voiced support for him.

Key opposition parties in Republika Srpska have rejected Dodik's call to form a national unity government in the entity as a response to the verdict.

Dodik offered the opposition the premiership of Republika Srpska and practically unlimited ministerial posts, including the vacant position of BiH Minister of Security.

The offer was firmly declined by the main opposition parties - the Serb Democratic Party (SDS) and the Party of Democratic Progress (PDP).

"Such a government is not a solution and would only deepen divisions," said PDP leader and Banja Luka mayor Draško Stanivuković after the party's leadership reviewed Dodik's proposal on Thursday.

The only difference between the two largest opposition parties in the RS concerns early elections for the RS president, which the SIP is expected to call within 90 days.

The SDS believes the opposition should participate with a strong candidate, while Stanivuković supports an independent figure who could help ease tensions between the current authorities and opposition, better preparing the ground for regular elections scheduled for October 2026.

Dodik has yet to confirm whether he will voluntarily leave office and is calling for a referendum in which voters would decide whether to continue supporting him despite the court ruling.

His lawyers have announced plans to appeal to the BiH Constitutional Court, seeking to annul the BiH Court's decision, including a request to temporarily suspend the sentence pending appeal.

They have also requested that Dodik's prison sentence be commuted to a fine.