Bosnian Serb police raid federal office as tensions escalate – DW – 03/07/2025


Bosnian Serb police raid federal office as tensions escalate – DW – 03/07/2025

Published 7 March 2025 Police in Republika Srpska — the majority ethnically Serbian territory of Bosnia and Herzegovina — have driven federal police out of a building in the de facto regional capital Banja Luka, according to reports. This comes as Republika Srpska president Milorad Dodik has called on ethnic Serb members of the federal police and courts to resign their posts and join the government of his autonomous entity. "We have ensured them a job, while preserving their legal status, ranks, and positions. They will receive the same salary, or even a higher salary than they had," he said. The move is another increasingly separatist action by Dodik, following his refusal yesterday to obey a court summons. After announcing his disobedience, he passed a series of laws banning federal judiciary and police forces from operating in his territory. Bosnian officials have filed suit against these laws in the Constitutional Court. The European Union has backed the suit, claiming Dodik's laws "undermine the constitutional and legal order" of Bosnia and Herzegovina.