The Court of Bosnia and Herzegovina held the final hearing today in the case against Milorad Dodik, President of Republika Srpska, and Milos Lukic, former acting director of the Official Gazette of Republika Srpska. The trial has garnered significant public attention, with the final statements of the defendants and their attorneys lasting several hours.
During his address, which lasted more than half an hour, Dodik accused the Prosecutor’s Office of Bosnia and Herzegovina of acting under directives from foreign actors and failing to respect the country's Constitution.
“I am fighting for the Constitution of Bosnia and Herzegovina, while the Prosecutor’s Office is working under directives. After this, the Prosecutor’s Office of Bosnia and Herzegovina will no longer be able to operate on the territory of Republika Srpska. This could create bigger problems—I am not threatening, but I am ready to go all the way in the political struggle,” Dodik stated.
He also reiterated his previous claims that High Representative Christian Schmidt was not legally appointed and that the decision to impose amendments to the Criminal Code of Bosnia and Herzegovina was unlawful because it was not passed by a legislative body—the Parliament of Bosnia and Herzegovina.
“According to the Constitution, only the Parliament of Bosnia and Herzegovina can amend laws. Here, I was swiftly prosecuted under an act imposed by Schmidt. There is no legal basis. He was not appointed in accordance with legal regulations,” Dodik emphasized.
Dodik’s address followed the closing arguments of the Prosecutor’s Office of Bosnia and Herzegovina, which detailed the indictment and requested the strictest penalties for Dodik and Lukic—five years in prison and a ten-year ban on holding public office.
Dodik After the Hearing: ‘This Is a Political Decision’
Following the final statements in court, Dodik addressed journalists, reiterating his position that the trial was politically motivated.
“It has been proven that we did not violate the Constitution because the Constitution of Republika Srpska is not contrary to the Constitution of Bosnia and Herzegovina.
This is a political decision. Instead of going after that fake Schmidt, they went after us,” Dodik said.
He also stated that a possible guilty verdict would be “a death blow to Bosnia and Herzegovina,” while an acquittal would cause “some gloating.”
Earlier in court, Dodik claimed that the proceedings against him had been conducted in a condemnatory tone and that the Prosecutor’s Office had failed to prove the criminal liability of the accused.
Vucic on Dodik’s Trial: ‘I Expect an Acquittal’
The trial of Milorad Dodik was also commented on by Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic, who stated that the case against the President of Republika Srpska was politically motivated.
“I consider the legal prosecution of President Dodik to be political adventurism and irresponsibility. I do not understand the purpose of prosecuting someone in the 21st century for verbal offences—it is not normal,” Vucic said at a press conference in Belgrade.
Vucic added that he hoped the judges in Sarajevo would deliver an acquittal, as any other decision would lead Bosnia and Herzegovina into uncertainty.
“I want to believe that the judges in Sarajevo will make the right decision, which is an acquittal. Anything else would lead us into uncertainty and, I hope, not into something that we cannot prevent through intelligent actions,” Vucic stated.
Verdict on February 26
To recall, Milorad Dodik and Milos Lukic are accused of knowingly and deliberately taking actions between July 1 and July 9, 2023, in Banja Luka to continue the legislative process without applying and implementing the decisions of the High Representative in Bosnia and Herzegovina.
After hours of closing statements by the prosecution and defence, as well as addresses by the accused, Judge Sena Uzunovic announced that the verdict, in this case, would be delivered on February 26 at 1 pm.
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