(Adnkronos) – Bosnian authorities have issued an international arrest warrant for Milorad Dodik, leader of the country’s Serbian entity, currently in Israel. Dodik was sentenced to one year in prison and a six-year ban from public office for challenging the authority of Christian Schmidt, the international envoy tasked with overseeing the peace agreement that ended the 1990s inter-ethnic war.
The Bosnian State Court stated that “the matter is now in the hands of Interpol”, thus entrusting international authorities with the task of executing the warrant. The decision comes in a context of high political tension, with Dodik continuing to enjoy widespread support among Bosnian Serbs, despite his conviction.
Dodik, known for his nationalist rhetoric and his opposition to international influence on Bosnia and Herzegovina, has repeatedly questioned the authority of the international envoy and the legitimacy of the court that convicted him. His supporters consider the trial a politically motivated move to weaken the autonomy of Republika Srpska, the Serbian entity of Bosnia. At the moment, it is unclear whether Israel will cooperate with the Bosnian authorities for the eventual extradition of Dodik. The situation could have repercussions on the already fragile relations between the different ethnic groups in the country, with the risk of a further escalation of political tensions.
