Zagreb, 26 February 2025 (Hina/MIA) - Bosnian Serb leader Milorad Dodik was sentenced Wednesday to one year in prison by the Court of Bosnia and Herzegovina in a first-instance ruling. He was also banned from political activity for six years for failing to comply with the decisions of High Representative Christian Schmidt. 

The verdict was issued after an 18-month trial.

Dodik's defense and the prosecution have the right to appeal the verdict, and the legal and political consequences will not take effect until a final ruling is issued.

Ahead of the verdict, the President of Republika Srpska, the Serb entity in Bosnia and Herzegovina, said he would not accept the court's decision.

"You in Sarajevo will not remove me," Dodik said.

Miloš Lukić, the former acting director of the Official Gazette of Republika Srpska, who was also charged in the case, was acquitted.

Following the verdict, which bans him from holding office as President of Republika Srpska, Dodik said there was no reason for concern.

Addressing his supporters at a rally in Banja Luka, he called the ruling politically motivated.

"We must remain cheerful. I have been sentenced to a year because of their politics, but there is no reason to worry. I have learned to deal with much tougher situations. What matters to me is that you are here, giving me your support," he told the crowd.

Dodik’s lawyer, Anto Nobilo, claimed the verdict had been passed under pressure from international diplomats.

"The second-ranking official from the US embassy was present at every hearing. Your problem is not the Bosniaks or the Croats—it is the unreasonable foreigners who have been running this country for nearly 30 years," Nobilo said.

He also claimed that six months ago, he had received "precise information" that the verdict would be one year in prison with a ban on holding office.

"That information came while the trial was still ongoing, two and a half months before the end of proceedings. It is clear that foreigners have been controlling this country for 30 years, but Bosnia and Herzegovina deserves to be sovereign," Nobilo added.

Meanwhile, High Representative Christian Schmidt met with the NATO Commander in Bosnia and Herzegovina, Brigadier General Matthew Wallace, to discuss the political and security situation in the region.

"A secure environment is crucial for Bosnia and Herzegovina’s prosperity and development," read a statement posted on social media platform X following the meeting.

At the same time, a Beech 90 King Air aircraft was spotted flying over Banja Luka. According to Flight Radar 24 data, the aircraft circled residential areas of the city several times in the past 24 hours. It had also flown over Banja Luka on Jan. 9, during the observance of the unconstitutional Day of Republika Srpska.

Dodik’s verdict has sparked widespread reactions both within the country and across the region.