(MENAFN) Bosnia and Herzegovina’s Central Election Commission has reportedly stripped Milorad Dodik of his role as president of Republika Srpska, the country’s Serb-majority autonomous entity, according to local media outlet Dnevni Avaz. The decision, which was reportedly unanimous, can still be appealed by Dodik. If not overturned, early elections are expected within 90 days.

This development follows a court ruling in February that sentenced Dodik to one year in prison and barred him from holding political office for six years. The charges stemmed from his alleged defiance of constitutional norms and failure to comply with decisions issued by Christian Schmidt, the international high representative for Bosnia and Herzegovina.

Schmidt, a German diplomat, is responsible for enforcing the 1995 Dayton Peace Agreement, which ended the Bosnian War. The tension between Dodik and Schmidt escalated in 2023, when Dodik supported legislation at the local level rejecting state constitutional court decisions and dismissing Schmidt’s authority. Dodik has consistently labeled Schmidt illegitimate, referring to him dismissively as a “tourist.”

In response to the commission’s decision, Dodik appeared defiant, posting on X (formerly Twitter), “What if I refuse,” and calling the move more “crap from Sarajevo.”

Dodik has received backing from some international figures. Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban has refused to acknowledge any rulings against Dodik, describing EU efforts to remove him as an imposition of a “globalist agenda.” Similarly, Russian lawmaker Vladimir Dzhabarov viewed the pressure on Dodik as an indirect challenge to Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic, a close ally of Republika Srpska.

MENAFN07082025000045015687ID1109896883