PETRONIJEVIĆ: FILING APPEAL AGAINST FIRST-INSTANCE RULING TO REACH STRASBOURG

BELGRADE, MARCH 25 /SRNA/ - Attorney Goran Petronijević, legal advisor to the defense team of Republika Srpska President Milorad Dodik, believes that an appeal should be filed against the first-instance ruling of the unconstitutional Court of BiH and that all decisions of the judicial authorities in BiH should be challenged to bring this matter before the European Court of Human Rights in Strasbourg, as human rights have been severely violated in this process.

"From a legal perspective, the defense would be motivated to file an appeal because all available legal remedies in the home country must be exhausted before one can approach an international court," Petronijević told SRNA.

Petronijević believes the case should be brought before the European Court of Human Rights because the rights in the case against Dodik before the court in Sarajevo have been gravely violated.

"When viewed from all sides, it is evident that this is a political trial. These are all factors that the Strasbourg court would have to take into account, and under these circumstances, of course, the appropriate decision must be made," emphasized Petronijević.

He reminded that the legal team of the President of Republika Srpska never expected justice before the unconstitutional Court of BiH, and they do not expect a fair outcome in the appellate process either.

"We will sit down, reconsider the situation once more, and make a final decision. Of course, my colleague /Goran/ Bubić, President Dodik, my colleague /Anto/ Nobilo, and I will consult and decide what action to take in this regard," Petronijević said.

According to him, no change in thinking should be expected from the court in Sarajevo, as they made a decision to confirm it.

"However, when you appear before an international court, they first ask whether you have exhausted all available remedies under domestic law. The international court will not get involved in who recognizes whom and who does not," said Petronijević.

Goran Bubić, the attorney for Republika Srpska President Milorad Dodik, told SRNA that he will file an appeal against the first-instance verdict issued to his client once it is delivered, emphasizing that the process related to the non-compliance with Christian Schmidt's decisions is a severe illegality that cannot be left in the legal system.

On February 26, the unconstitutional Court of BiH found the President of Republika Srpska, Milorad Dodik, guilty in the first instance of "non-compliance with the decisions" of Christian Schmidt. The court sentenced him to one year in prison and barred him from holding the office of president of the Republic for six years from the date the verdict becomes final.

The ruling acquits Miloš Lukić, the acting director of the Official Gazette of Republika Srpska, who was tried in the same case.