Serbian President Aleksandar Vučić proposed that the international community be included in the discussion of the sentence of the head of the Republika Srpska, Milorad Dodik.
„The two main reasons why I came are actually to ask President Dodik, to ask the leadership of the Republika Srpska to once again call for dialogue all representatives of the authorities, and not only the authorities, but also the political figures of Bosnia and Herzegovina, as well as all representatives of the EU, the USA, of course, Russia, China and everyone else.
I want to ask President Dodik to start a dialogue, to start negotiations, because, as far as I understand, it is not easy for him now, but it is important to demonstrate Serbia's commitment to peace, to solving problems through dialogue, and not through threats and blackmail“, Vucic said on Wednesday during a visit to Banja Luka.
The second reason for his visit, the president said, is the need to demonstrate unity, “when it comes to preserving Republika Srpska, when it comes to its development, when it comes to our national unity“.
On February 26, a court in Bosnia and Herzegovina sentenced the head of Republika Srpska to one year in prison and a six-year ban on political activity for ignoring decisions by the high representative of the international community, Christian Schmidt. This is a decision of the first instance court, which can be appealed. The final decision will be made by the second instance court before the end of 2025.
Bosnia and Herzegovina is essentially governed by a High Representative of the international community (a post created under the Dayton Agreement), who is appointed by the Steering Committee of the Peace Implementation Council after approval by the UN Security Council. However, in May 2021, the ambassadors of the members of the commission decided to appoint Christian Schmidt as High Representative in Bosnia and Herzegovina without the UN Security Council approval procedure. The leadership of Republika Srpska does not recognize Schmidt's authority.