Milorad Dodik: Verdict is attack on Serb Republic, I expect Serbia's full support, people should remain calm

Photo: Tanjug/SRNA/BORISLAV ZDRINJA/nr

President of the Serb Republic (RS, Serb entity in Bosnia and Herzegovina) Milorad Dodik addressed the public after the first-instance verdict against him was confirmed.

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Dodik's remarks came after it was confirmed that the appellate chamber of the Court of Bosnia and Herzegovina (BiH) rejected an appeal filed by his defense and confirmed the first-instance verdict by which he was sentenced to one year in prison and banned from political activity for six years, while Milos Lukic, the acting director of the RS Official Gazette, was acquitted.

Dodik and Lukic were tried for not complying with decisions made by the international representative in BiH, Christian Schmidt.

Dodik's lawyer Goran Bubic said that the Court of BiH informed them by phone that the appeals of both the defense and the Prosecutor's Office of BiH were rejected and that the first-instance verdict was confirmed in its entirety.

Bubic was the first to speak at the news conference on Friday.

"Around 11 o'clock, we were informed by phone that the verdict was confirmed and that the appeals were rejected," he said.

"We expected justice, unfortunately we got non-justice. The president's legal team will continue to work using the available legal means, and we will ask for a temporary measure to stay the execution of the verdict until the decision of the Constitutional Court," the lawyer said.

Zeljka Cvijanovic, the Serb member of the Presidency of Bosnia and Herzegovina, spoke next, to state that the court process was politically motivated from the start.

"What I want to say is that we have a solution," she said, adding that there are still many political battles ahead.

RS National Assembly President Nenad Stevandic told reporters that the entity's officials "are not to be caught on the wrong foot."

"Until now, they have been abusing our concern to preserve peace, and this shows once again that they do not care about peace. This verdict is a way to provoke conflicts in BiH, but we are smart enough to win. We have no need to show in advance what we know and can do, and we are sure that we have the people on our side. The institutions and the people are of the same mind, and our every action will be victorious," said Stevandic.

Milorad Dodik spoke next, saying that this was nothing unexpected.

"According to the Dayton Agreement, there should be neither a prosecutor's office nor a constitutional court (of BiH). This grinch Christian Schmidt created a mess in the RS. We saw that they don't respect the fact that I even signed the decree before those (Schmidt's) decisions came into force. This is a purely political decision, politically motivated. The Court of Bosnia and Herzegovina is a political court, and it decided to influence political life. They canceled the fourth mandate and gave it to someone who was born in a Kinder Surprise. But the delegates are chosen only in the National Assembly, not in Kinder Surprises! It's obvious that the political intentions of Sarajevo have led to this," he said.

Dodik added that he, as the president of the RS, has been accused of all sorts of things and turned into the main culprit.

"The bottom line is that Christian Schmidt said anyone who disrespects him will end up in prison. If we accept that, it's only a matter of days before all these people here will be next. This is an attack on the RS! I did not commit any criminal offense according to the law, and I do not accept this criminal offense prescribed by Schmidt," said Dodik.

He also stated that the EU is behind the attack against him, as that alliance is looking for any victory in light of the fact that they are taking blows on various issues, from Ukraine, to the (US) tariffs.

"This is the political will of those with power. I will listen to what the people say. I have not committed any criminal act, and they charged me because Schmidt doesn't like me. This only serves to eliminate the RS, and that will not stop, no matter what I do. It's obvious that a new dualism has been created between the RS and BiH. That there cannot be even a minimal degree of acceptance of higher institutions, and that foreigners can comfortably turn off their phones when it comes to talking to us. I personally reject them, and I advise the same to my associates. We will be careful how we move, we are not without alternatives," he added.

Dodik also remarked that all the judges who sentenced him are Muslims (Bosniaks).

"The prosecutor is a Muslim, the first judge is a Muslim dge, the second who ruled is a Muslim, two Muslims on the appellate panel, and you couldn't expect anything else. We will not hesitate to protect the RS, but also peace. All our decisions will be political," said Dodik.

Dodik urged the people to remain calm.

"I call on the people to remain calm, for everyone to gather in support around the RS. I thank the PDP (party) that said they will not participate in elections, if they get scheduled. I say that elections will not be held while I am the president. I also ask that the police to get engaged and not allow any voting, so (those who want to) can vote outside the RS," he said.

Dodik added that the RS must react, and that great danger now looms over the Serb entity.

"They attack the strongest political figures, and then they will move on to the others. I don't expect anything from the opposition, except to rejoice in what is happening. I will continue to carry out my duties, I think the RS should fight back. I am taking the risk of this being one of my last political speeches. They attack the strongest political figures and it would not be difficult for them to deal with the weaker ones," he said.

Dodik said that he expects full support from Serbia and that he will also turn to Russia.

"We will also write to the new US administration. This has to do with Muslim efforts to dominate in Bosnia and Herzegovina. To the Serbs in the RS I say, if you do not come to your senses, in five years you will experience an exodus, and you will not be a political nation," concluded the RS president.

(Telegraf.rs)