Interpol rejects demand to detain Bosnian Serb president

(MENAFN) Interpol has turned down Bosnia and Herzegovina's request to issue a Red Notice for Milorad Dodik, the president of Republika Srpska, and Nenad Stevandic, the region's parliament speaker. The Bosnian state court confirmed that the attempt to locate and provisionally arrest them failed. Dodik announced the decision on social media, citing a call from Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic, who informed him of the refusal. Serbia had opposed the request, claiming it was politically motivated and violated Interpol's neutrality.

The Court of Bosnia and Herzegovina had sought the Red Notice after Dodik defied an arrest warrant and traveled to Serbia, Israel, and Russia in March. The two leaders are accused of undermining Bosnia's judiciary and law enforcement by passing laws that restrict their operations. Dodik has long resisted the authority of the international overseer, the Office of the High Representative (OHR), which enforces the Dayton Peace Agreement. He was sentenced to prison and a political ban for defying the OHR.

Serbia has vowed to prevent the detention of Dodik and Stevandic, calling the moves by Sarajevo an attempt at revenge. Russia, which supports Dodik, condemned the conviction as politically motivated and unjust. Dodik recently visited Russia to meet with President Vladimir Putin and discussed taking the issue to the UN Security Council.

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