Dodging justice: Dodik meets Putin amid arrest warrant
The wanted Milorad Dodik, the president of the predominantly Serbian autonomous region of Bosnia and Herzegovina, met with Russian President Vladimir Putin in Moscow on Tuesday, according to Dodik's post on social media. This marks the 26th meeting between the two politicians.
What do you need to know?
- Milorad Dodik, president of the predominantly Serbian part of Bosnia and Herzegovina, is a wanted man, yet he met with Russian President, Vladimir Putin.
- During the meeting, Putin assured Dodik of Russia's support for ending the operations of international institutions in Bosnia and Herzegovina.
- The Bosnian Prosecution is conducting an investigation against Dodik and his associates, and a warrant has been issued for his arrest.
Milorad Dodik, president of the Republika Srpska (part of Bosnia and Herzegovina), met with Vladimir Putin in Moscow, despite being a wanted man. According to Dodik's post on social media, Putin assured him of Russia’s support for ending the operations of international institutions in Bosnia and Herzegovina, including the work of the High Representative of the International Community in BiH, who oversees the implementation of the Dayton Peace Agreement that ended the war in the 1990s.
"Russia will advocate for the ending and cessation of the work of international institutions, especially the fake high representative, or, as he says, the illegitimate representative," declared the Republika Srpska president.
Dodik noted after the conversation that he plans to return to Republika Srpska on Saturday.
Dodik's problems
The latest political crisis in BiH erupted after a first-instance court sentenced Dodik to one year in prison and banned him from holding public office for six years for obstructing the decisions of the High Representative of the International Community in BiH, Christian Schmidt, at the end of February.
Following the verdict, the RS parliament passed several laws prohibiting the operation of several central BiH institutions on its territory, including courts, prosecutors, and the federal police. After Dodik signed the documents, the BiH Constitutional Court suspended their enforcement on Friday, 7th March, pending a final decision.
