The Court of Bosnia and Herzegovina (BiH) stated that Milorad Dodik, the President of the Republika Srpska (RS), and MilosLukic, the Acting Director of the Official Gazette of this entity, pleaded not guilty because both of them said at the hearing that they did not understand the indictment for the criminal offense of “non-implementation of the decisions of the High Representative “.
Dodik’s defense insisted on explaining why the indictment was incomprehensible, but judge Jasmina Cosic Dedovic explained that at this stage only a statement is foreseen, and that during the main trial they will be able to state those questions, except in the case when the accused does not have a defense attorney.
“First of all, I don’t understand what it is about at all… I read a little, what I found out, it doesn’t make sense at all,” said Dodik, adding that it was a political procedure.
The judge interrupted him twice, while he explained that he did not understand any of the allegations in the indictment, and complained that there was no flag of RS on the document, which he did not receive in Cyrillic.
Goran Bubic, Dodik’s defense attorney, asked to point out the arguments that make the indictment incomprehensible, but the Court said that he will be able to present his evidence during the trial.
Lukic said that he also did not understand the indictment.
“I worked according to the law, I don’t know what I am charged with,” said Lukic, after which Cosic Dedovic stated that he also denies guilt.
As stated in the indictment, Dodik and Lukic from July 1st to 9th of this year in Banja Luka, knowing that the High Representative Christian Schmidt made a decision preventing the entry into force of the Law on the non-application of decisions of the Constitutional Court of BiH, undertook official actions in order to continue the legislative procedure.
In the following period, the Court of BiH should schedule the start of the trial, Detektor reports.
E.Dz.