DODIK: I WILL REMAIN AS LONG AS THE PEOPLE WANT IT, ACCEPTING THE CEC'S DECISION MEANS SRPSKA NO LONGER EXISTS

BANJA LUKA, August 6 /SRNA/ - President of Republika Srpska Milorad Dodik stated that he will remain in office as long as the people want him to, and stressed that accepting the decision of the Central Election Commission /CEC/ would mean there is no Republika Srpska or its Constitution.

"I have taken up this cross and I will carry it! As long as the people give me their mandate, I will remain here, despite the CEC and Sarajevo," Dodik told reporters in Banja Luka following a meeting of leaders of the ruling coalition parties in Republika Srpska. He said this is a confrontation of Muslims against Serbs, as they believe this mechanism can be used to go after others as well. "I may be the first, but I believe the others will understand what is really happening. To accept this decision means there is no Constitution of Republika Srpska. To accept the CEC's decision means we have erased the will of the Serb people," Dodik emphasized. The Central Election Commission of BiH today issued a decision terminating the mandate of Milorad Dodik as President of Republika Srpska, who was elected in the 2022 general elections. An appeal may be filed against this decision. The CEC made its decision after the Appellate Division of the Court of BiH upheld the earlier first-instance verdict sentencing Dodik to one year in prison and banning him from political activity for six years for "failing to comply with decisions made by Christian Schmidt".