ĐURAGIĆ: CITIZENS OF REPUBLIKA SRPSKA DETERMINED TO DEFEND INSTITUTIONS

BANJA LUKA, August 12 /SRNA/ - Citizens of Republika Srpska will be even more determined to defend their institutions following the verdict and the attempt to strip Republika Srpska President Milorad Dodik of his mandate, Mario Đuragić, Head of the Srpska Representation in Brussels, told SRNA.

"What we are seeing today regarding the verdict and the attempt to take away President Dodik's mandate is the action of a political-judicial octopus that feels so powerful it no longer cares about constitutions, laws, or parliaments," said Đuragić. According to him, they are behaving like colonizers, imposing verdicts at the will of a foreigner. "Such destruction of the legal order does not only eliminate political opponents, it tears apart BiH itself. I believe the citizens of Srpska see this and will be even more determined to defend their institutions and their right to shape their own future," stated Đuragić. On August 6, the BiH Central Election Commission decided to terminate the mandate of Republika Srpska President Milorad Dodik, elected in the 2022 general elections, a decision against which an appeal is permitted. On August 1, the Appellate Division of the Court of BiH upheld the first-instance verdict sentencing Republika Srpska President Milorad Dodik to one year in prison and a six-year ban on political activity "for failing to comply with the decisions of Christian Schmidt".