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Republika Srpska president tells TASS, EU has no legal, moral rights to arrest him

Earlier, the leader of Republika Srpska mentioned plans to turn to Moscow with an appeal to raise the issue of halting the EU’s military operation in BiH due to violations of its mandate in the UN Security Council

MOSCOW, April 10. /TASS/. President Milorad Dodik of Republika Srpska (one of the two constituent entities of Bosnia and Herzegovina, BiH) said in an interview with TASS that the European Union has no "legal or moral right" to authorize his arrest.

"There are no legal grounds, neither moral, nor any other. Brussels is too involved in instability and lawlessness in Bosnia and Herzegovina, and this has already gone beyond any reasonable boundaries," Dodik said, commenting on Brussels’ plans to engage the European Union Force in BiH (EUFOR) for his arrest.

Earlier, the leader of Republika Srpska mentioned plans to turn to Moscow with an appeal to raise the issue of halting the EU’s military operation in BiH due to violations of its mandate in the UN Security Council.

"We trust that their forces were deployed in accordance with the Security Council’s decision where Russia also takes part in making decisions, and Russia, relying on their adequate and just approach to the mission, approved their presence to maintain peace," he added. "Imagine, there have been 30 years of peace in Bosnia and Herzegovina, and they are stubbornly trying to preserve the structures that are purportedly preoccupied with ensuring this very peace. All of this is irrational," Republika Srpska president pointed out.

That said, Dodik expressed hope that "those in charge will still remain true to the mandate issued to them by the Security Council without overstepping its boundaries." "And this mandate does not provide for carrying out arrests," he emphasized.

Dodik’s sentence

Earlier, Serbian Deputy Prime Minister Aleksandar Vulin did not rule out an attempt to capture Dodik by the EU’s military contingent in the country following a plan of Western secret services.

On February 26, a Bosnia and Herzegovina court on February 26 sentenced Dodik to a year in prison and a six-year ban on political activity for ignoring the decisions of High Representative for Bosnia and Herzegovina Christian Schmidt. This is a first-instance verdict that can be appealed. On March 12, the Bosnia and Herzegovina Prosecutor’s Office requested the assistance of the security services in the arrest of Dodik, Republika Srpska Prime Minister Radovan Viskovic and National Assembly Speaker Nenad Stevandic. Republika Srpska Interior Minister Sinisa Karan ruled out the possibility of their detention.

On March 27, the Interpol office in Sarajevo launched an international search for Dodik and Stevandic. Serbian Deputy Prime Minister and Interior Minister Ivica Dacic later said that the initiative had no legal force and violated the organization’s statute. According to media reports, Hungary also filed an appeal against the arrest warrant for Dodik. Interpol’s central office made a decision not to issue an international order to arrest the leadership of Republika Srpska.

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