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Bosnian Serb Leader Faces Investigation Over Laws Undermining Constitution

Milorad Dodik's separatist moves escalate tensions in Bosnia, challenging the Dayton peace accords and central institutions.

Bosnian Serb President Milorad Dodik watches ruling by the court after a court sentenced him to one year in prison and banned him from engaging in politics for six years over his separatist actions, during a rally in the Bosnian town of Banja Luka, 240 kms northwest of Sarajevo, Wednesday, Feb. 26, 2025. (AP Photo/Radivoje Pavicic)
Bosnian Serb President Milorad Dodik speaks after a court sentenced him to one year in prison and banned him from engaging in politics for six years over his separatist actions, during a rally in the Bosnian town of Banja Luka, 240 kms northwest of Sarajevo, Wednesday, Feb. 26, 2025. (AP Photo/Radivoje Pavicic)
Bosnian Serb President Milorad Dodik speaks during a rally on the eve of a scheduled court verdict that could order the pro-Russia Serb leader banned from politics or even sentenced to prison in the Bosnian town of Banja Luka, 240 kms northwest of Sarajevo, Tuesday, Feb. 25, 2025. (AP Photo/Radivoje Pavicic)
Republika Srpska (Serb Republic) President Milorad Dodik addresses supporters reacting to a court decision on charges that he defied rulings by Bosnia's international peace envoy, in Banja Luka, Bosnia and Herzegovina, February 26, 2025. REUTERS/Amel Emric/File Photo

Overview

  • Bosnian prosecutors have launched an investigation into Milorad Dodik, president of the Serb Republic, for actions they claim undermine the constitutional order.
  • Dodik signed laws barring Bosnia's central judiciary, police, and prosecutors from operating in the Serb-controlled Republika Srpska, defying a recent court ruling against him.
  • The contested laws have been challenged by Bosnian officials in the Constitutional Court, who argue they violate the country's constitution and the 1995 Dayton peace agreement.
  • Dodik, a pro-Russian nationalist, has dismissed the legal actions as politically motivated and called for internal dialogue without international interference.
  • The developments have heightened fears of instability in Bosnia, which remains deeply divided along ethnic lines decades after its 1992-95 war.