The Russian delegation to the United Nations Security Council has formally requested closed-door consultations concerning the political situation in Bosnia and Herzegovina, specifically regarding Milorad Dodik and the recent decision by the country’s Central Election Commission (CEC BiH) to strip him of his mandate as President of the Republika Srpska (RS) entity.
The request was submitted to Panama, which currently holds the rotating presidency of the Security Council.
According to reports by SRNA citing Russian news agency RIA Novosti, the closed consultations are expected to take place on Thursday at 21:00 CET. However, as of Thursday afternoon, the official UN Security Council website lists only a media briefing by the Russian chargé d’affaires at 20:45 CET, with no formal confirmation of the closed meeting on the public agenda.
The Panamanian Mission to the UN confirmed to RIA Novosti that Russia had submitted the request.
This move follows Wednesday’s decision by the Central Election Commission of Bosnia and Herzegovina to revoke Dodik’s presidential mandate, after a final ruling by the Court of Bosnia and Herzegovina sentenced him to one year in prison and imposed a six-year ban on holding public office for contempt of the High Representative’s decisions.
The CEC decision will become legally binding after the appeal period expires and is confirmed by the Appellate Division of the BiH Court.
Earlier on Thursday, the Russian Embassy in Bosnia and Herzegovina issued a statement condemning the CEC’s action, warning that the country may be approaching a “point of no return” and describing the situation as a “test” for Bosnia and Herzegovina.
This request for UN Security Council consultations marks the latest international reaction to the unfolding legal and political crisis sparked by Dodik’s sentencing and the revocation of his mandate.