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Hungarian Prime Minister Vikor Orbán has described the court decision in the case of Milorad Dodik, President of Republika Srpska (entity within Bosnia and Herzegovina), as a political witch hunt. Milorad Dodik was sentenced in the first instance to one year in prison and banned from holding office for six years by the Court of Bosnia and Herzegovina on Wednesday for ignoring the decisions of international High Representative Christian Schmidt.
“The political witch hunt against President Milorad Dodik is a sad example of the weaponization of the legal system aimed at a democratically elected leader,” wrote Viktor Orbán on X. He added:
If we want to safeguard stability in the Western Balkans, this is not the way forward.”
The political witch hunt against President @MiloradDodik is a sad example of the weaponization of the legal system aimed at a democratically elected leader.
If we want to safeguard stability in the Western Balkans, this is not the way forward!
— Orbán Viktor (@PM_ViktorOrban) February 26, 2025
The Prosecutor’s Office of Bosnia and Herzegovina filed charges against Milorad Dodik in August 2023, under the Criminal Code, which provides for a sentence of six months to five years in prison and a ban on holding office for up to ten years for any official who fails to comply with, implement, or obstruct the decisions of the High Representative of the international community. The President of the Republika Srpska has been accused of refusing to take into account the decisions of Christian Schmidt because he signed a law rejecting the institution and powers of the High Representative. It was, in fact, Christian Schmidt who amended the relevant section of the Criminal Code, and his decision was based on statements and actions by Bosnian Serb politicians.
On Wednesday, Dodik wrote in a social media post that
he had received two phone calls following the verdict, the first from Serbian President Aleksandar Vučić and the second from Viktor Orbán, both expressing their support.
➡️ Народнa скупштинa Републике Српске донијеће неколико важних одлука, а то су да се одбија процес у Суду БиХ, као и закон о забрани рада Тужилаштва на територији Српске.
➡️ Други је забрана спровођења одлука Суда БиХ на територији Српске, а трећи закон је о забрани дјеловања… pic.twitter.com/Ro7Burdi2R
— Милорад Додик (@MiloradDodik) February 26, 2025
As his final words to the judge, Dodik had said that the verdict against him would fundamentally determine the future of Bosnia. He later told the press that the verdict could deal a “death blow” to Bosnia and Herzegovina. He said that if he was found guilty, he would not accept the verdict and the Republika Srpska would start withdrawing from the federal institutions.
He believes that the charges against him were fabricated by the prosecution under political pressure.
There is no longer the Bosnia and Herzegovina that was imagined, and the Bosnian Serb Parliament will pass new laws, for instance the Prosecutor’s Office and the Court will no longer be allowed to operate on the territory of the Republika Srpska, he said, after the court ruling.
Via MTI, Featured image: MTI/Miniszterelnöki Sajtóiroda/Fischer Zoltán