The politically motivated trial against the President of Republika Srpska, Milorad Dodik, and the acting director of the Official Gazette, Miloš Lukić, before the Court of BiH has nothing to do with law and justice, said the President of the Government, Radovan Višković, in the Telering program.
Višković emphasized that the president of Srpska was merely fulfilling his duties and obligations, for which he was elected by the people.
He stated that in the event of a conviction against the president, Republika Srpska would be forced to respond under duress.
- I am not referring to conflicts; we will exclusively fight through political and legal mechanisms within Republika Srpska. I firmly assert that the law resides in Srpska; our laws are applied, unlike in some other institutions. This farce causes enormous damage to BiH, as well as to all its peoples, and I believe this will be shown one day, although I fear that this legal reaction will be understood too late in Sarajevo, said Višković.
He pointed out that it is impossible to have a prosecutor, preliminary procedure judge, and chief judge from the same ethnic group—Bosniaks—in a process involving three constituent peoples.
- After the withdrawal of one judge, the same court assigns him new cases. This defies common sense. Then Sena Uzunović comes to us. She was a high-ranking official in the Army of the Federation of BiH; that is a fact, and I do not dispute that she was with her people. What I do hold against her, as a member of the Serb nation, is that she issued an acquittal for the crimes in Konjic. The Hague Court took over that case, and all those she acquitted were convicted. This shows that she is not suitable to judge the president of Srpska. If we respect our Constitution, then at the very least, representatives of the other two peoples should be included in the process against the president of the Republic, noted Višković.
The Prime Minister of Srpska said that experts have indicated that the verdict against Dodik has already been written, all aimed at removing him from the political scene.
- Why was the call for all witnesses not heeded? Someone is in a hurry to pronounce all things we from Srpska say are politically fabricated and whose goal is to eliminate Milorad Dodik from the political scene, he stated.
Speaking about how Christian Schmidt went from being the most desirable foreigner for Bosniak politicians to an undesirable person in the Federation of BiH, Višković said that what is happening in Sarajevo now is what they celebrated when it was happening to Republika Srpska and the Serbian people, but that Srpska will not celebrate.
Višković stated that Sarajevo did not want to listen to Republika Srpska when it comes to Schmidt.
- Everything we said was for the benefit of all. I knew the day would come when Bosniaks would stop applauding Schmidt, but that does not make me happy. Certain decisions made by Christian Schmidt have ceased to please political Sarajevo, as well as its citizens. It is neither possible nor realistic for someone from outside to impose their laws on you. We must tell political Sarajevo that the future of this country lies in the hands of Srpska. Foreigners have no right to regulate this country; they only create problems for us, said Višković.
The Prime Minister of Srpska stated that the Sarajevo media have recycled what has been said from Srpska over the past three years: that Schmidt lacks legitimacy and legality.
- We have nothing against Schmidt; we are not interested in what he was or did before. When we pointed out that he is illegal, we received only approvals and applause for Schmidt from Sarajevo. Now we have an example that textbooks should not include what he called “war criminals.” In Sarajevo, there have been attacks at the mention of Alija Izetbegović, while they forget that Carla Del Ponte, immediately after Izetbegović’s death, stated that the indictment against him was ready, he added.
Regarding the announced protests by Bosniaks in front of the OHR, Višković added that they are allowed to protest, while when the citizens of Srpska protested, they were not permitted to do so.
Is this some kind of performance for the public? I do not know, he said.
He stated that based on all the facts, there should be suspicion about this scenario.
- On one side, we have an organized political trial that has nothing to do with law. It is unimaginable for someone to be held accountable for an act that falls within the scope of their work and duties. The President of Republika Srpska, Milorad Dodik, if he had not signed the Law adopted by the National Assembly of Srpska, would have been called to account. This means he is guilty if he does something but also if he does not. You cannot put someone, no matter what their name is, in a position where they carry guilt for both actions, leaving them with no choice; this is unacceptable in law, he added.
The Prime Minister of Srpska stated that he has no trust in the Court and Prosecutor’s Office of BiH.
- Perhaps this is a performance for the public to make it easier for the Court of BiH to issue a verdict against the President of Srpska. Why, if you are against Christian Schmidt, do you not raise your voice against what I would call an “unlawful” farce? he noted.
Source: RTRS
