Fugitive Bosnian Serb leader slips into Serbia despite arrest warrant
SARAJEVO, Bosnia (MNTV): Bosnia and Herzegovina’s Border Police have opened an investigation after Milorad Dodik, the controversial president of the Serb-majority Republika Srpska entity and subject of an active arrest warrant, travelled to Serbia for an official ceremony despite being under legal scrutiny.
Dodik was seen alongside Serbian President Aleksandar Vučić at a state commemoration in Batajnica, near Belgrade, on Monday night, marking the anniversary of NATO’s 1999 bombing campaign against Yugoslavia.
Authorities in Sarajevo are now attempting to determine how Dodik managed to leave the country—whether by helicopter or through an official land border crossing—while police agencies were under legal obligation to detain him.
“The Bosnia and Herzegovina Border Police will inform the Prosecutor’s Office and cooperate with all law enforcement agencies,” the force said in a statement issued Tuesday.
The probe comes just over a week after Bosnia’s State Court issued arrest warrants on March 17 for Dodik, Republika Srpska Prime Minister Radovan Višković, and National Assembly Speaker Nenad Stevandić. All three are facing charges of attacking the constitutional order of Bosnia and Herzegovina—a grave offence in the deeply divided country.
Their legal troubles stem from a political standoff with the Office of the High Representative, the international peace overseer for Bosnia, whose authority Dodik has openly defied. On February 26, the state court sentenced Dodik to one year in prison and banned him from public office for six years for failing to comply with decisions issued by the High Representative.
In a retaliatory move, the Republika Srpska National Assembly, controlled by Dodik’s party, passed legislation aiming to strip several key state-level institutions—including the judiciary, prosecution, and security agencies—of jurisdiction within the Serb-led entity. Bosnia’s Constitutional Court swiftly suspended these laws on March 6, pending a final ruling.
Still, Dodik has publicly insisted that the measures will be enforced within Republika Srpska, defying both the court and international norms. His actions have drawn widespread criticism for attempting to weaken Bosnia and Herzegovina’s fragile statehood and challenge its sovereignty.
The incident has heightened political tensions and placed additional pressure on the country’s security institutions, which now face internal scrutiny for failing to enforce the law. Officers who neglected to arrest Dodik could themselves face disciplinary or criminal consequences.
As the investigation unfolds, the episode highlights the persistent volatility in post-war Bosnia, where ethnic divisions and unresolved questions of sovereignty continue to challenge the country’s democratic foundations.
Have Your Say!
Have you been affected by the issues raised in this story? Please share your experiences by emailing haveyoursay@soundvision.com.
Please include a contact number if you are willing to speak to a Muslim Network TV’s representative. You can also get in touch in the following ways:
Tweet: @MuslimNetworkTV
We must take charge of our narrative. Research indicates that 92% of their Muslim coverage is negative. Help us change that.
