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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.