(19 Feb 2025)
RESTRICTION SUMMARY:
ASSOCIATED PRESS
Sarajevo, Bosnia – 19 February 2025
1. Republika Srpska President Milorad Dodik arriving at court UPSOUND supporters chanting his nickname “Mile”
2. Dodik supporters outside court
3. Man holding a poster showing Dodik’s face
4. SOUNDBITE (Serbian) Goran Vasic, Dodik supporter from town of Srbac:
"We came here in support of him (Dodik) because we believe if he is convicted then we are all convicted in a way. Republic Srpska is convicted.”
++NIGHT SHOTS++
5. Dodik supporters
6. Court entrance
7. Dodik exiting court, supporters greeting him
8. SOUNDBITE (Serbian) Milorad Dodik, President of Republika Srpska:
“Now, all that you heard from the public is that the prosecution looked pathetic. It’s just an amateur, incompetent, anti-constitutional, anti-Dayton attempt to serve a foreigner, a foreigner that has no authority here. The prosecution has already hit a blow against Bosnia-Herzegovina, but the verdict could launch a deadly strike against Bosnia-Herzegovina.”
9. Dodik speaking to media
10. SOUNDBITE (Serbian) Milorad Dodik, President of Republika Srpska:
"If they reach a guilty verdict, it is expected that (the Bosnian Serb) parliament will make some fundamental and important decisions, and that decision is pushing us into a decisive defense."
11. Dodik speaking to media
12. SOUNDBITE (Serbian) Milorad Dodik, President of Republika Srpska:
“I’m telling you, write it down. Don’t tell me later ‘you didn’t warn us.’ I am calling upon the constitution of Bosnia-Herzegovina, I’m calling upon this court to make the judgement in accordance with the constitution. I’m calling upon this court not to destroy the constitution of Bosnia-Herzegovina. If they destroy the constitution they will destroy the state as well. And then, don’t come to us. You destroyed it with your verdict. If the verdict is guilty. This is not a threat, I’m just telling you what will happen.”
13. Dodik getting into car
14. Dodik’s car leaving
STORYLINE:
Bosnian prosecutors are seeking close to the maximum penalty of a five-year jail term and 10-year ban on all political activities for Bosnian Serb separatist leader Milorad Dodik, who is charged with defying the top international envoy responsible for overseeing peace in the Balkan country.
The court in Sarajevo heard closing arguments from the prosecution and defense on Wednesday.
Dodik has continuously insisted that the Bosnian Serb-controlled half of Bosnia should split from the loose union and join neighboring Serbia.
He was indicted for enforcing two laws that were previously annulled by German peace envoy Christian Schmidt, whose office has the authority to change laws and replace officials who undermine peace.
Dodik has rejected the charges and sought to present them as an attack on the Serb entity in Bosnia, known as the Republika Srpska, which is home to around half the country’s 3.2 million people.
The other half is run by largely Muslim Bosniaks, and Croats.
Dodik warned after the hearing that a guilty verdict would constitute a "deadly strike" against the country and threatened Serb retaliation against Bosnian state institutions.
A verdict is expected on February 26.
The government of Republika Srpska was holding an emergency session late Wednesday to discuss its options.
The trial is widely seen as a trigger point that could shatter Bosnia’s fragile peace.
Bosnia’s two ministates were established in a 1995 peace deal that ended ethnic carnage in which more than 100,000 people died and millions were displaced.
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