Defiant Dodik: Bosnian Crisis Escalates as Separatist Leader Challenges Ban

Milorad Dodik, president of Bosnia's Serb region, vows to defy a court ruling barring him from political office and seeks support from Russia and former U.S. President Trump. His defiance could potentially reignite tension in Bosnia, posing a significant threat to peace in the Balkans.

Milorad Dodik, the separatist president of Bosnia's Serb region, announced his intention to defy a court ruling barring him from political office for six years. On Friday, he declared plans to seek support from both Russia and former U.S. President Donald Trump, signaling escalating tensions in the politically fraught region.

The ruling comes from Bosnia's appeals court, which upheld Dodik's February sentence for contravening directives from the international peace envoy, critical in preventing Bosnia's return to civil unrest. Despite the legal setback, Dodik assured reporters of his intention to continue his duties and confront the ruling.

In response, Dodik, a pro-Russian nationalist with aims to separate the Serb Republic from Bosnia, proposed measures to diminish the state's influence within his region. His actions, which sparked one of the country's worst political crises since the 1990s, underscore the looming threat to peace in the Balkans.

(With inputs from agencies.)