The Court of Bosnia and Herzegovina has requested an international arrest warrant for Milorad Dodik, President of Republika Srpska (RS), and Nenad Stevandic, Speaker of the RS National Assembly, after they crossed the state border.

Dodik is currently in Israel attending the International Conference on Combating Antisemitism, from where he responded to the Court’s decision. A national warrant had already been issued for Dodik in Bosnia and Herzegovina on charges of undermining the constitutional and legal order.

Dodik Responds from Israel

“This is nothing unusual, the abuse of the judiciary continues,” Dodik said, according to RTRS.

He once again blamed Bosniaks, claiming they were behind the move and accusing Bosnia’s judiciary of being manipulated. He also warned that the issue would be “internationalized.”

“No one should worry about this. As the president of Republika Srpska, I respect the decisions of the RS National Assembly, where everything has been made clear,” Dodik stated.

Investigation and detention warrants

The RS National Assembly had previously passed unconstitutional laws, known as “Dodik’s laws,” which the Constitutional Court of Bosnia and Herzegovina suspended through a temporary measure. This led to an investigation by the BiH Prosecutor’s Office against Dodik, RS Prime Minister Radovan Viskovic, and Speaker Nenad Stevandic.

After they failed to respond to summons for questioning, a national warrant was issued for their detention, which now escalated to an international warrant.