Attorney Goran Petronijević commented on hearing involving the President of Republika Srpska Milorad Dodik and acting director of the Official Gazette Miloš Lukić, stating he expects acquittals and that, due to the illness of one of the panel judges, he had anticipated the session would be postponed.
“What we’ve discussed recently—media reports indicated one of the panel members is on extended medical leave and would not participate. In such cases, the usual practice is to wait, unless the illness is severe or permanently disabling. Otherwise, sessions are postponed until the judge returns,” said Petronijević on RTRS’s Special program.
He stressed there was no need to rush the hearing and raised concerns over how quickly the panel judge was replaced.
“Only today, upon entering the courtroom, did we find out who the new judge is. This raises serious concerns, and my colleague Bubić submitted a motion for recusal,” Petronijević noted.
He also commented on the composition of the appellate panel, pointing out that the judges are from the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina and are presiding over a case involving the president of Republika Srpska.
“Given the Dayton structure of BiH and the administrative separation of the two entities, joint institutions must include representatives from both. It’s unacceptable for all judges to come from one entity,” Petronijević said.
He touched on the rejection of the motion to recuse two judges, saying it contradicts the proclaimed commitment to European integration.
“Such a decision clashes with the EU’s expectations on the rule of law. This case will backfire when BiH’s legal system is evaluated. It’s already problematic—and once internationalized, and especially if brought before the European Court in Strasbourg, it will be evident how the trial process has been compromised by an unauthorized individual. This panel still has the chance to end this crisis by ruling in line with our proposal,” Petronijević stated.
He also highlighted INTERPOL’s refusal to issue a warrant for President Dodik.
“INTERPOL made it clear it does not involve itself in political processes, thus offering an objective qualification. We have an international authority recognizing this as a political case—which we’ve claimed from the start—and whose aim is to remove Dodik from political life,” he said.
Petronijević further noted that they asked whether the newly appointed judge had read the case files, which contain over 4,000 pages.
“We never received an answer. This isn’t just a technical matter—it’s a question of transparency and public confidence. If the judge was appointed only a day or two ago, the session should have been postponed. This rush raises serious doubts about the objectivity and impartiality of the trial,” he emphasized.
He also criticized the role of Christian Schmidt.
“It’s deeply troubling for the entire legal system of BiH that it is governed by rules imposed by a single individual. This discredits legal institutions and undermines Annexes IV and X of the Dayton Agreement. This trial compromises the legal system. If the panel annuls the decision against Dodik and confirms Lukić’s acquittal, that would close this disgrace in a way far more acceptable for a country that seeks EU membership.”
He concluded by warning that any potential conversion of the verdicts into prison sentences or bans will lead to internationalization.
“That would be a serious blow to the rule of law in BiH. Those pursuing this line of action are, in effect, shooting themselves in the foot—and harming the broader interests of BiH. If their plan succeeds, future presidents of Republika Srpska will no longer dare to sign decrees passed by the National Assembly. This case undermines the entire legal system and represents the triumph of imposed rules over the law,” Petronijević concluded.
Source: RTRS
