While Interpol rejected the request to arrest the Bosnian Serb leader, Dodik was banned from entering a number of countries

The pro-Russian and separatist president of the Republika Srpska (RS) Milorad Dodik has been banned from entering a number of European countries. At the same time, he is on the international wanted list, although the General Secretariat of Interpol rejects the request for his extradition. 

UNN reports with reference to Spiegel, ORF and PAP.

Details

Austria and Germany have imposed entry restrictions on Milorad Dodik, the president of the Republika Srpska, a self-proclaimed state formation on the territory of Bosnia and Herzegovina.

Dodik and two other politicians from Republika Srpska (RS) will be banned from entering Germany and Austria. This was announced by Foreign Minister Beate Meinl-Reisinger (representative of NEOS, a liberal political party in Austria) at a meeting with German EU State Secretary Anna Luhrmann.

Context

Milorad Dodik, a Bosnian Serb pro-Russian politician, the president of Republika Srpska (RS) in Bosnia and Herzegovina (BiH) is wanted by an international arrest warrant. 

The BiH court officially appealed to Interpol with a request to issue an international arrest warrant for the President of the RS Milorad Dodik and the speaker of the National Assembly of the RS Nenad Stevandic.

The General Secretariat of Interpol rejected the request to issue an international arrest warrant for representatives of the separatist state formation on the territory of Bosnia and Herzegovina. As explained, the petition was rejected in accordance with Article 3 of the Interpol Statute, which prohibits political persecution. Dodik himself considers himself a victim and claims that the goal is to create the impression of isolation of him and Republika Srpska.

According to the latest data, Spiegel writes, Dodik has moved to the Russian Federation. On Tuesday, the Kremlin published a video of Putin's meeting with Dodik. Putin's advisor Yuriy Ushakov also took part in this meeting, the publication writes.

Let us remind you

Bosnian Serb leader Milorad Dodik discussed gas prices and a new gas pipeline with Putin during his visit to Moscow in 2023.

The director of the Federal Police Administration of Bosnia and Herzegovina (FUP), Vahidin Munić, confirmed that they received an arrest warrant for the leader of the RS Milorad Dodik.