RS Prime Minister rejects detention order, accuses Schmidt of political meddling

“I received information that I was supposedly on a helicopter to Belgrade, yet here I am. A lie is a lie—I remain the head of the government and will continue doing my job as I have until now. I expected this to happen. After the verdict against my colleague in the other entity, I knew the Prosecutor’s Office was desperately searching for a way to create some kind of balance because, in Bosnia and Herzegovina, everything has to be ‘balanced’,” Viskovic stated.

As he has done in the past, Viskovic harshly criticized High Representative Christian Schmidt, calling him a “fraudster and a liar” and blaming him for the current situation in Bosnia and Herzegovina.

“Certain institutions in Bosnia and Herzegovina prioritize him over legally elected institutions. How is it possible that the BiH Prosecutor’s Office and Court accepted Schmidt’s decision to amend the BiH Criminal Code? He did not change the law—he made a decision. What happened today to me, the RS President, and the RS National Assembly Speaker is Schmidt’s doing. When he made that infamous decision and changed the article of the Criminal Code to redefine an attack on the constitutional order, he made sure to criminalize any action deemed unlawful by other means,” Viskovic argued.

He further elaborated:

“I am being accused simply for chairing the government and signing decisions. The Speaker of the Assembly is accused for scheduling sessions. The RS President is accused of signing a decree on a law passed by the RS National Assembly.”

Refusal to appear in court and defiant stance

Viskovic declared that he would never voluntarily appear before the Court or Prosecutor’s Office in Sarajevo because, as he claimed, he does not trust them and does not expect a fair trial.

“I am willing to appear before any court in the world, in the region, or in the surrounding countries to answer for anything I am accused of. I have done nothing to harm this country. As RS Prime Minister, I am obliged to respect RS laws and the RS Constitution. I am not afraid of their harassment, persecution, or threats,” he said.

He then issued a direct challenge: ‘Go ahead and carry out your threat.’

Warnings and political tensions

Viskovic concluded his statement with a warning, accusing state institutions of provoking instability:

“You are firing blanks, but you are creating a situation where someone might fire live rounds. This is not a threat from Republika Srpska—Republika Srpska is calling for peace and dialogue, but that is being ignored. When I decide to leave, I will take the road and see who stands in my way.”

The BiH Prosecutor’s Office confirmed on Wednesday that it had issued an order for the judicial police, with the assistance of the State Investigation and Protection Agency (SIPA), to detain Dodik, Viskovic, and Stevandic on charges of attacking the constitutional order of Bosnia and Herzegovina.

Meanwhile, the Republika Srpska National Assembly is holding a session on a new RS constitution, which reportedly contains controversial provisions that conflict with the BiH Constitution.