Dodik defies arrest warrant, meets Putin for strategic talks
Milorad Dodik, the president of the predominantly Serbian autonomous region of Bosnia and Herzegovina, met with Russian President Vladimir Putin in Moscow on Tuesday, as reported by Dodik on social media. This marks the 26th meeting between the two leaders.
What do you need to know?
- Milorad Dodik, president of the predominantly Serbian part of Bosnia and Herzegovina, is a wanted man; nonetheless, he met with the Russian President, Vladimir Putin.
- During their meeting, Putin assured Dodik of Russia's support for ending the operations of international institutions in Bosnia and Herzegovina.
- The Bosnian prosecution is investigating Dodik and his associates, and a warrant has been issued for his arrest.
Milorad Dodik, president of the Republika Srpska (which is part of Bosnia and Herzegovina), met with Vladimir Putin in Moscow, despite being a wanted individual. According to Dodik's social media post, 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 concluded 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, March 7, pending a final decision.
