Dodik charged with failing to apply, implement decisions of high representative, international envoy meant to carry out 1995 peace agreement
A Bosnian court on Wednesday sentenced Serb leader Milorad Dodik to a year in prison and a six-year political ban for flouting decisions by the envoy who implements the landmark 1995 Dayton Peace Agreement.
Dodik was convicted, in his role as Republika Srpska president, for failing to apply and implement the decisions of the high representative for Bosnia Herzegovina.
Milos Lukic, acting director of the Official Gazette of Republika Srpska, was acquitted of the same charges.
Neither of the defendants or their lawyers were in court to hear the verdict, but both have the right to appeal.
Dodik and Lukic were accused over their conduct in July 2023 in Banja Luka – the largest city in Republika Srpska – which failed to implement the decisions of High Representative Christian Schmidt, knowing that he had issued a decision preventing the entry into force of two laws.
Failure to comply with the high representative’s decisions is a criminal offense, punishable by six months to five years behind bars.
In closing arguments for the one-year trial, prosecutors requested a sentence closer to the legal maximum and a ban on holding public office for 10 years. The defense sought an acquittal.
Powers of high representative
Since the start of the trial, Dodik has been putting pressure on the court, with his supporters amassing in front of the court building before each hearing.
The high representative, established in the Dayton Peace Agreement that ended the 1992-1995 war in Bosnia Herzegovina, oversees implementation of the accord on behalf of the international community.
The representative has the authority to dismiss anyone who interferes with the implementation of peace in the country, including members of the tripartite Presidential Council, and to pass laws as necessary.
The extraordinary powers of the Peace Implementation Council were entrusted to the high representative in 1997 during a meeting in Germany.
Russia on Tuesday announced a major expansion of its entry ban list targeting EU officials, law enforcement, and academics in response to fresh sancti...
China and the US have agreed to extend the pause on 24% reciprocal tariffs after two days of trade talks in Sweden, Chinese trade official Li Chenggan...
The United Kingdom will formally recognise the State of Palestine at the United Nations in September if Israel fails to take "substantive steps" to en...
A team from the Royal Melbourne Institute of Technology (RMIT) has developed a titanium alloy using 3D printing that is significantly cheaper and pote...
A gunman who killed four people and injured several others in a Manhattan office building left a note blaming the NFL for a brain injury he believed h...
China and Serbia will hold their first-ever joint military exercise later this month in northern China’s Hebei province to boost combat readiness and deepen defence cooperation, the Chinese Defence Ministry announced Monday.
Serbian police arrested 79 protesters late on Wednesday during a crackdown on street demonstrations calling for early elections and the end of President Aleksandar Vucic's 12-year rule and his Serbian Progressive Party.
Serbia and Russia will jointly examine allegations that Serbian-made weapons reached Ukraine, following claims by Russian officials and statements from President Aleksandar Vucic calling for a fact-finding effort.
Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic addressed his country from Moscow’s Red Square, emphasizing Serbia’s independence and commitment to historical values.
The world’s biggest dance music festival faces an unexpected setback as a fire destroys its main stage, prompting a last-minute response from organisers determined to keep the party alive in Boom, Belgium.
Australian researchers have created a groundbreaking “biological AI” platform that could revolutionise drug discovery by rapidly evolving molecules within mammalian cells.
Australian researchers have pioneered a low-cost and scalable plasma-based method to produce ammonia gas directly from air, offering a green alternative to the traditional fossil fuel-dependent Haber-Bosch process.
A series of earthquakes have struck Guatemala on Tuesday afternoon, leading authorities to advise residents to evacuate from buildings as a precaution against possible aftershocks.
'Superman' continued to dominate the summer box office, pulling in another $57.25 million in its second weekend, as theatres welcome a wave of blockbuster competition following a challenging few years for the film industry.
Russia on Tuesday announced a major expansion of its entry ban list targeting EU officials, law enforcement, and academics in response to fresh sanctions packages over Ukraine.
China and the US have agreed to extend the pause on 24% reciprocal tariffs after two days of trade talks in Sweden, Chinese trade official Li Chenggang announced Tuesday.
The United Kingdom will formally recognise the State of Palestine at the United Nations in September if Israel fails to take "substantive steps" to end the humanitarian crisis in Gaza, British Prime Minister Keir Starmer said.
A gunman who killed four people and injured several others in a Manhattan office building left a note blaming the NFL for a brain injury he believed he had, New York officials said, linking the rampage to suspected chronic traumatic encephalopathy (CTE).
Thailand has estimated initial damages from a five-day border conflict with Cambodia at more than 10 billion baht ($307.88 million), with the total economic impact likely to rise further, Finance Minister Pichai Chunhavajira said on Tuesday.
You can download the AnewZ application from Play Store and the App Store.
What is your opinion on this topic?
Leave the first comment