The entire legal system on which Bosnia and Herzegovina is based has been shaken by the actions and decisions of Christian Schmidt, said lawyer Goran Petronijević during his appearance on RTRS’s Morning Program.
An extraordinary session of the Constitutional Court of BiH, scheduled for today, will consider President Milorad Dodik’s appeal against the verdict of the Court of BiH. Dodik was tried for a criminal offense introduced into the BiH Criminal Code by Schmidt’s decision. The appeal was filed as a necessary step for the case to reach the European Court of Human Rights in Strasbourg.
“The verdict is the result of what has been happening in BiH — the alteration and violation of the Dayton Peace Agreement and its annexes. The constitutional and legal crisis at the state level has extended to Republika Srpska. The causes run much deeper and must be addressed,” Petronijević stated.
He said that the credibility of the Constitutional Court has been seriously undermined.
“In practice, you have something that should be unthinkable — a situation where you can always expect a ruling against the Serb or Croat people, or even both, with a single verdict,” said Petronijević.
Petronijević added that he is personally not optimistic that today’s decision will be based on law and justice.
“If the Constitutional Court were to think properly and act without pressure — applying the Constitution and the law — there would be no doubt that the appeal would be upheld,” he noted.
He emphasized that new global political winds are blowing, which may — but do not necessarily have to — influence the mindset of those making decisions.
“The new U.S. administration has begun addressing issues and realities to prevent potential conflicts in this region. They now better understand the root causes of the crisis in BiH. The decision to lift sanctions against Milorad Dodik could, though not necessarily, serve as mild pressure on the Court and its decision today,” Petronijević concluded.
Source: RTRS
