Constitutional court exposes Dodiks controversial laws in the RS!

Constitutional court exposes Dodiks controversial laws in the RS!

Banja Luka, Bosnien und Herzegowina - On March 7, 2025, the constitutional court of Bosnia-Herzegovina temporarily suspended the separatist laws that were passed by the autonomous region of Republika Srpska. These laws, which reject the authority of the federal police and the judiciary, were approved by President Milorad Dodik in the regional parliament, after he was recently sentenced to one year in prison because of his refusal to follow decisions by the international high commissioner Christian Schmidt and proven with a six -year ban on office. Dodik rejected the applicable legal Situation as illegal and argues that the constitution of Bosnia-Herzegovinas of Republika SRPSKA grant significant responsibilities, which in his opinion was illegally withdrawn.

In the past time, Dodik has fueled ethnic tensions and continues to reunite with Serbia, which the EU and other international actors are concerned. The constitutional court's decision to suspend the law was announced on Friday and is a further indication of the ongoing political instability in the region. Bosnian civil servants argue that the laws are a serious violation of the Dayton Agreement, which was signed in 1995 to terminate the civil war in Bosnia and binds the two autonomous regions among common institutions. According to Dodik, this agreement confirms the statehood of Republika Srpska and gives it the authority about the judiciary, finance, police and other areas.

political crisis and ethnic tensions

The political situation in Bosnia-Herzegovina remains tense, especially in the Republika Srpska, where the police recently referred to SIPA federal agents from their premises. The SIPA manager Darko Culum described these reports as wrong and emphasized that the security situation was stable. Nevertheless, the Srebrenica Memorial Center expressed that it remains closed until further notice due to the political crisis, since not enough security guarantees for employees and visitors can not be guaranteed. Dodik called up ethnic Serbs to leave the federal police and join the regional government, which could potentially increase the willingness to violence in the region.

The skills of the constitutional court and the decisions of the high representative who declared the laws to invalid are under fire. Dodik criticizes the legitimacy of these decisions and the role of Schmidt, which he sees as not properly appointed. According to Dodika, many of the laws imposed should be invalid because they have not been proposed in parliament.

international reactions and future outlook

The EU sees itself in a difficult position because its previous measures against Dodik, including Bonn powers and US sanctions, are classified as ineffectively. However, a recent call to the EU Parliament on specific sanctions against Dodik could be a new approach. Experts warn that the EU absolutely has to use more "hard power" in the Republika Srpska to stabilize the situation. In the context of geopolitical tensions about war in Ukraine, the strategies in the region have also changed, and Dodik draws parallels between these events and the decisions in the Republika Srpska.

Current uncertainty in the region could also have an impact on Dodiks political future, since its position of power is threatened in the Republika Srpska. In the last elections, he was only able to win against a opposition candidate who was allegedly supported by Belgrade. It remains to be seen whether the EU and other international actors are able to de -escalate the escalating tensions.