Banja Luka mayor Drasko Stanivukovic said he had been detained at the Croatian border and warned he was at risk of being banned from entering for up to three years, following what he described as repeated police checks.
Speaking to Serbia’s TV Prva on Sunday, Stanivukovic said he had previously been fined 700 euros by Croatian authorities for what was classified as hate speech, a charge he disputed.
“I asked why it was considered hate speech when I speak about restoring religious sites, including cathedrals and mosques,” he said, adding that he regularly attends religious events of different communities.
He said that since the fine, he had been subjected to repeated checks when transiting through Croatia, including searches of his belongings and extended waiting times at the border.
“Each time I cross, I am stopped, my belongings are searched, and I wait for a police dog to arrive. It can take up to two hours,” he said.
Describing the most recent incident, Stanivukovic said he refused to allow further searches of his personal belongings, after which he was detained.
“I told them I would no longer allow my private things to be searched every time. They said the fine would be 6,000 euros, and I said they could do what they wanted,” he said.
He said he was held at the border crossing from around 2200 local time until 0200, before being transferred to a police station where he spent about 15 hours in custody. He added that he received two fines.
Croatian authorities have not immediately commented on the allegations.
Stanivukovic said he had been stopped 14 times over a two-month period, describing the treatment as harassment.
The incident comes amid sensitive political relations in the region, where issues linked to wartime history and minority rights continue to affect ties between neighbouring countries.