Milorad Dodik, the President of Republika Srpska (RS), one of the two entities of Bosnia and Herzegovina (BiH), has publicly rejected the Central Electoral Commission (CEC)’s decision to revoke his mandate, reached on 6 August. The CEC’s move followed the BiH State Court’s appellate ruling upholding Dodik’s conviction for defying the High Representative and undermining the central government’s authority, confirming a one-year prison sentence and a six-year ban from holding public office. The prison sentence was later converted into a fine of BAM 36,500 (EUR 18,660). On 18 August, the BiH State Court rejected Dodik’s appeal of the CEC decision, making his removal from office final and binding. The CEC has scheduled early elections for the RS Presidency on 23 November. On 22 August, the Parliament of Republika Srpska voted in favour of an entity-wide referendum on whether to accept the State Court’s verdict and Dodik’s removal from office, scheduled for 25 October.

Sources:  Balkan Insight (1),  Balkan Insight (2),  Al Jazeera, European Western Balkans, Friedrich Naumann Foundation, Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe, International IDEA

Update: On 18 October, Ana Trišić-Babić, an associate of Milorad Dodik and former deputy foreign minister of Bosnia and Herzegovina (BiH), was confirmed as interim president of the Republika Srpska (RS), following a ban on Dodik holding public office. Trišić-Babić is expected to serve until the early presidential elections scheduled for 23 November. A referendum on whether to accept the State Court’s previous conviction of Dodik, initially scheduled for 25 October, did not take place.  

Sources: Al Jazeera, Balkan Insight (1), Balkan Insight (2), Balkan Insight (3), Sarajevo Times 

On 10 July, the Constitutional Court ruled in favour of Vahidin Durić, journalist and editor-in-chief of the local media outlet Bisce.ba, finding that lower courts violated his constitutional right to freedom of expression. The decision follows six years of legal proceedings and sets an important precedent, affirming that satire and criticism of public officials are protected speech. The outlet had published a satirical article questioning a public official’s educational credentials, claiming that the official had obtained a higher education degree in an unusually short period of time. Lower courts found Durić guilty of defamation and fined him BAM 1,000 (approximately USD 588). The Constitutional Court annulled the judgment, and sent the case back for reconsideration, requiring the lower court to apply constitutional standards. The ruling was welcomed by the BH Journalists Association as a victory for the protection of journalists in the country, while preserving democratic public debate.  

Sources: BL Portal, Lu portal, Constitutional Court, Nezavisne 

On 9 June, Milan Miličević, mayor of Teslić and then head of the Serb Democratic Party (SDS), the largest opposition party in Republika Srpska (RS), was arrested in an anti-corruption operation led by the RS Ministry of the Interior. Two  local officials, including the Deputy Speaker of the Teslić Assembly, were also arrested by RS police. The Prosecutor’s Office in Banja Luka reported approximately BAM 400,000 (EUR 200,000) were seized in a search of Miličević’s home. RS opposition parties condemned the arrests as political intimidation, and international media and state-level government officials noted a crackdown on dissent in RS. On 13 July, Miličević resigned from his position as party leader, citing intra-party divisions. The Prosecutor’s Office has launched an investigation into charges of influence peddling and bribery. The arrests are the latest development in the broader weakening of the opposition in RS. Watchdogs report that corruption charges against state officials rarely lead to consequences.

Sources: Info Bijeljina, European Western Balkans, Balkan Insight, SRNA, Klix.ba, International IDEA

On 22 May, the Bosnian state court sentenced Vojin Pavlović, head of the NGO Eastern Alternative, to two and a half years in prison for genocide denial and glorifying war criminals. The ruling is one of the first genocide denial convictions in Bosnia and Herzegovina (BiH). In 2023, Pavlović publicly displayed banners celebrating the anniversary of the Srebenica genocide and the birthday of Ratko Mladić, the former military commander convicted of genocide and other war crimes by the Hague Tribunal in 2017. The court cited incitement to hatred in its decision and argued that Pavlović’s actions created a sense of fear and insecurity among war victims and survivors. The presiding judge described the verdict as a significant step forward in addressing genocide denial. Genocide denial was included as an offence in BiH’s criminal code in 2021. The Association of Victims and Witnesses of Genocide has criticized the judiciary for not taking sufficient action to prosecute genocide denial under the legislation. The verdict can be appealed.

Sources: Balkan Insight (1), Balkan Insight (2), Balkan Insight (3), Balkan Insight (4), KosovaPress, Court of Bosnia and Herzegovina

On 21 May, the National Assembly of Republika Srpska (RS) approved legislation under an urgent procedure halting public funding for political parties at the entity and local government levels. The law additionally increases the maximum thresholds for private contributions. The move follows a decision taken on 24 April by Bosnia and Herzegovina (BiH)’s Office of the High Representative to suspend public funding to the ruling coalition in RS, including the Alliance of Independent Social Democrats (SNSD) and United Srpska parties, citing recent attacks on BiH’s constitutional order. The law was denounced by RS opposition parties as disproportionately harming smaller parties, undermining political pluralism and competition. Local NGOs have raised concerns that the law’s failure to specify prohibited sources of funding may lead to abuses. The OSCE Mission to BiH warned that the law risks expanding political corruption and leading to unequal treatment between governing and opposition parties. 

Sources: Balkan Insight (1), Balkan Insight (2), Constitution Net, Office of the High Representative (1), Office of the High Representative (2), Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe, Barron’s, International IDEA, House of Human Rights