Vučić on Dodik's verdict: Serbia in the most difficult situation since 2008, EU's shameful reaction

Serbian President Aleksandar Vučić said today in Žitorađa that the European Union's reaction to the final verdict convicting Republika Srpska President Milorad Dodik is shameful and that Serbia has not been in such a difficult situation since 2008 as it is today, after that decision by the Court of Bosnia and Herzegovina (BiH).

After the Appellate Chamber of the Court of BiH confirmed the first-instance verdict against Dodik, which sentenced him to one year in prison and a six-year ban on holding the office of President of the Republika Srpska, Vučić told reporters that he would never say a word of praise for that court decision and reiterated his previously expressed position that the President of the Republika Srpska was convicted of a "verbal offense".

During a visit to the settlements of Novo Momčilovo and Konjarnik in the municipality of Žitorađa, recently affected by fires, Vučić said that today "the whole of Serbia is under great pressure from foreigners who want to tell it how to react."

"And I can only say that, while I breathe and while a drop of blood flows through my veins, I will not allow a word of praise to come out of my mouth about a verdict rendered on the basis of a verbal offense. If you expect praise from me, you are knocking on the wrong door. You can exert all the pressure you want, it is better for me not to live than to betray everything I have fought for my entire life in such a way," Vučić stated.

He added that he was "ashamed to listen to those who give Serbia advice on human rights" and asked "what would be the EU's reaction if Serbia had convicted a politician for a verbal offense."

"Imagine if Serbia convicted a political leader for a verbal offense, not for a crime, but for a verbal offense, what do you think the reaction of the European Union would be? All I can say about their reaction is that it is shameful, but that is all I have to say on the matter," Vučić said.

The European Union announced today that the final verdict against Dodik is binding and must be respected, and called on "all parties to recognize the independence and impartiality of the Court of BiH and to respect and support the verdict it has issued."

Vučić also said that the Serbian National Security Council will reach conclusions regarding the Dodik verdict tomorrow, that it will "propose decisions that are certainly difficult" and that it will discuss it "thoroughly and seriously" after the session of that body.

The Appellate Chamber of the Court of BiH confirmed the first-instance verdict against Dodik, which sentenced him to one year in prison and a six-year ban on holding office for failing to implement the decisions of the High Representative in BiH.

The Central Election Commission of Bosnia and Herzegovina should revoke Dodik's mandate within 15 days, and then call early elections for the president of the RS within three months.

Dodik said today that he does not accept the verdict, that it was "created by the European Union" and that the RS Parliament will decide on it. The parliament had previously, the day after the first-instance verdict against Dodik was pronounced in late February, adopted laws banning the operation of the Court of BiH and the Prosecutor's Office of BiH in RS.