Milorad Dodik convicted: Appeals Court confirms one-year sentence and political ban

According to Bubic, the Court informed the defence and the BiH Prosecutor’s Office by phone that both appeals were rejected and the original verdict was confirmed in its entirety.

Dodik was found guilty of the criminal offence of failing to implement decisions of the High Representative Christian Schmidt, following actions taken in July 2023 aimed at undermining the authority of the international peace envoy.

In mid-2023, the National Assembly of Republika Srpska adopted legislation that effectively blocked the publication of the High Representative's decisions in the Official Gazette of Republika Srpska. Before the law could take effect, Schmidt annulled it and amended the BiH Criminal Code to criminalise the non-implementation of his decisions.

Defying Schmidt’s orders, Dodik signed decrees promulgating two annulled laws, which were later published in the entity’s Official Gazette. Two directors of the Gazette resigned over the controversy, and acting director Milos Lukic eventually authorised the publication.

Dodik and Lukic were indicted in September 2023 for continuing legal procedures between July 1–9 despite the High Representative’s binding decisions blocking the legislative process. Prosecutors argued Dodik knowingly used his official capacity to override Schmidt's authority.

On February 26, the Court of BiH issued a split first-instance verdict: Lukic was acquitted, while Dodik was found guilty of failing to implement decisions of the High Representative under Article 203a of the BiH Criminal Code.

The ruling is final.