Orban Criticizes Guilty Verdict for Bosnian Serb Leader
Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban condemned the conviction of Republika Srpska President Milorad Dodik, labeling it a “political witch hunt.” Read Full Article at RT.com
TroibNews 
Republika Srpska President Milorad Dodik has received a one-year prison sentence and is prohibited from holding political office following a court ruling.
Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban has criticized the court's decision against Bosnian Serb leader Milorad Dodik, condemning it as a “political witch hunt” and a distortion of the legal process aimed at a democratically elected official. He cautioned that such actions threaten the stability of the Western Balkans.
A Bosnian court delivered the one-year prison sentence on Wednesday after finding Dodik guilty of obstructing decisions from Bosnia’s constitutional court and disregarding the authority of international envoy Christian Schmidt, who oversees the implementation of the 1995 Dayton Peace Agreement that ended the Bosnian war. Additionally, the court has barred Dodik from political office for a period of six years.
“The political witch hunt against President @MiloradDodik is a sad example of the weaponization of the legal system aimed at a democratically elected leader,” Orban expressed on X in response to the ruling.
“If we want to safeguard stability in the Western Balkans, this is not the way forward!” he added.
While Dodik did not attend the sentencing, he later addressed his supporters in Banja Luka, denouncing the ruling as politically motivated and vowing to implement “radical measures.” He cautioned that the conviction could represent a “death blow to Bosnia and Herzegovina” and hinted at the possibility of Republika Srpska’s secession.
In a post on his official X account, Dodik declared that the Republika Srpska National Assembly would reject the court’s decision and mandate that rulings from Bosnia’s state judiciary not be enforced within its territory. He stated that Republika Srpska would obstruct the activities of the central government and police within its jurisdiction.
Dodik has two weeks to appeal the verdict, and legal experts suggest that the sentence will be finalized once the appeals process is complete.
In the aftermath of the verdict, Dodik reached out to Orban and Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic, expressing appreciation for their backing. Vucic has called an emergency meeting of Serbia’s National Security Council to discuss the implications of Dodik’s sentence and is anticipated to visit Republika Srpska within the next 24 hours.
Dodik is noted for his opposition to NATO and has resisted Bosnia’s entry into the US-led military alliance. He has also opposed Western sanctions against Russia in connection with the Ukraine conflict.
Ian Smith contributed to this report for TROIB News
Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban has criticized the court's decision against Bosnian Serb leader Milorad Dodik, condemning it as a “political witch hunt” and a distortion of the legal process aimed at a democratically elected official. He cautioned that such actions threaten the stability of the Western Balkans.
A Bosnian court delivered the one-year prison sentence on Wednesday after finding Dodik guilty of obstructing decisions from Bosnia’s constitutional court and disregarding the authority of international envoy Christian Schmidt, who oversees the implementation of the 1995 Dayton Peace Agreement that ended the Bosnian war. Additionally, the court has barred Dodik from political office for a period of six years.
“The political witch hunt against President @MiloradDodik is a sad example of the weaponization of the legal system aimed at a democratically elected leader,” Orban expressed on X in response to the ruling.
“If we want to safeguard stability in the Western Balkans, this is not the way forward!” he added.
While Dodik did not attend the sentencing, he later addressed his supporters in Banja Luka, denouncing the ruling as politically motivated and vowing to implement “radical measures.” He cautioned that the conviction could represent a “death blow to Bosnia and Herzegovina” and hinted at the possibility of Republika Srpska’s secession.
In a post on his official X account, Dodik declared that the Republika Srpska National Assembly would reject the court’s decision and mandate that rulings from Bosnia’s state judiciary not be enforced within its territory. He stated that Republika Srpska would obstruct the activities of the central government and police within its jurisdiction.
Dodik has two weeks to appeal the verdict, and legal experts suggest that the sentence will be finalized once the appeals process is complete.
In the aftermath of the verdict, Dodik reached out to Orban and Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic, expressing appreciation for their backing. Vucic has called an emergency meeting of Serbia’s National Security Council to discuss the implications of Dodik’s sentence and is anticipated to visit Republika Srpska within the next 24 hours.
Dodik is noted for his opposition to NATO and has resisted Bosnia’s entry into the US-led military alliance. He has also opposed Western sanctions against Russia in connection with the Ukraine conflict.
Ian Smith contributed to this report for TROIB News
