Interpol rejects Bosnia Court's appeal concerning Milorad Dodik

The Court of Bosnia and Herzegovina filed the appeal with Interpol's General Secretariat in Lyon in mid-April, following Interpol's initial refusal to issue a red notice for Dodik and Stevandic. Interpol's decision to reject the request came after the Court of Bosnia and Herzegovina issued an order on March 27 to issue an international warrant for the two officials. At that time, Dodik was on a visit to Israel.

Previously, the Bosnia and Herzegovina Prosecutor's Office had submitted a proposal to the Court of Bosnia and Herzegovina to issue an international warrant due to their travel outside the territory of Bosnia and Herzegovina.

Dodik then thanked Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic and Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban for their appeals against the Court of Bosnia and Herzegovina's request.

On February 26, the Court of Bosnia and Herzegovina, in a first-instance verdict, sentenced Milorad Dodik to one year in prison and a six-year ban from holding the position of president for disrespecting the decisions of the High Representative.

Subsequently, the ruling coalition in the Republika Srpska National Assembly adopted laws prohibiting the operation of the State Court and Prosecutor's Office, the High Judicial and Prosecutorial Council of Bosnia and Herzegovina, and the State Investigation and Protection Agency (SIPA) in the territory of that entity.

The Constitutional Court of Bosnia and Herzegovina declared these laws invalid, and the Bosnia and Herzegovina Prosecutor's Office launched an investigation against Dodik and other Republika Srpska entity leaders for the criminal offence of "attack on the constitutional order."

After they refused to respond to a summons for questioning, the Bosnia and Herzegovina Prosecutor's Office ordered the arrest of Dodik, Republika Srpska Prime Minister Radovan Viskovic, and National Assembly Speaker Nenad Stevandic.