CONSTITUTIONAL COURT OF BiH - POLITICALLY ORCHESTRATED INQUISITION

BANJA LUKA, JULY 3 /SRNA/ - The leader of the SNSD, Milorad Dodik, stated that the Constitutional Court of BiH is a politically orchestrated inquisition, and that he expects nothing from today's decision by this court regarding the assessment of the constitutionality of the provisions of the Criminal Code of BiH imposed by Christian Schmidt.

Dodik said he is grateful to the SNSD deputies in the National Assembly of Republika Srpska for requesting a constitutional review of the provisions of the Criminal Code of BiH, on the basis of which serious penalties were imposed on him.

"I was not even consulted about that request from the SNSD deputies at the time. Our people reacted impulsively and logically. But here in BiH, there is no logic, just as the Constitutional Court has none. It is not operating in its full composition and cannot function properly. Legally speaking, all of its decisions in the last two or three years are null and void. Someone continues to push and maintain it politically, even though one day it will be said that it accomplished nothing," Dodik pointed out.

He noted that the Constitutional Court of BiH failed to use the opportunity to demonstrate that it is a legal institution that respects and defends the Constitution.

"Laws in BiH are passed exclusively by the Parliamentary Assembly, not by high representatives. Unfortunately, those in the Constitutional Court of BiH will probably confirm the ordered illegalities today. But we move forward. Any legal, political, and other violence against key representatives in multinational communities, including me in this case, is unacceptable," Dodik said.

He emphasized that in this case, Republika Srpska fought against Schmidt with the goal, among other things, of preventing him from imposing a law on state property.

"Regardless of Schmidt and everything negative he has done to us, Republika Srpska will live on. And the Constitutional Court of BiH is still there merely to confirm voluntarism, illegality, and political executions directed at Serbs. I expect nothing from its decision today," Dodik stressed.

The Constitutional Court of BiH will announce its decision today regarding the provision imposed in July 2023 by the High Representative in BiH, Christian Schmidt, which defines the criminal offense of failing to execute the decisions of the High Representative. It was based on this provision that Dodik was sentenced before the Court of BiH to a prison term and the revocation of his mandate as President of Republika Srpska.

Based on that provision by Schmidt, Dodik is banned from holding any public office in the government and from heading any legal entity for six years.