BOSNIA - DODIK IMPLIES RS POLICE WILL RESIST

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 SARAJEVO 001559 SIPDIS DEPARTMENT FOR EUR(JONES), EUR/SCE(HYLAND/SILBERSTEIN/STINCHOMB); NSC FOR HELGERSON/WILSON E.O. 12958: DECL: 10/03/2018 TAGS: PGOV PREL PINR KDEM KJUS KAWC BK SUBJECT: BOSNIA - DODIK IMPLIES RS POLICE WILL RESIST STATE-LEVEL LAW ENFORCEMENT REF: A. SARAJEVO 1547 ¶B. SARAJEVO 1530 ¶C. SARAJEVO 1519 Classified By: Ambassador Charles L. English, Reasons 1.4(b),(d) OHR and "Muslims" Wage a Personal War Against the RS -------------- -------------- ¶1. (SBU) Commenting on the ongoing standoff between Republika Srpska (RS) and state-level law enforcement and judicial authorities, RS PM Milorad Dodik implied that RS police would prevent the State Investigation and Protection Agency (SIPA) from obtaining documentation requested by the State Prosecutor's Office (Reftels). Dodik's comments appeared in an October 2 interview with the Belgrade-based daily. Dodik accused "part of OHR" of "conducting a personal war against the RS" and "Muslims of Sarajevo" of "abusing their position" by pursuing the investigation. (Note: The "Muslims of Sarajevo" are presumably Bosniaks employed at OHR, SIPA and the State Prosecutor's Office. End Note) Dodik repeated his willingness to comply with SIPA's subpoena provided certain conditions are met, but asserted that the State Prosecutor's Officer "had no authority to request information about the construction of the (RS) Government building." RS Police Will Resist - Next Time -------------- ¶2. (C) Dodik accused SIPA of acting "without any authorization" during a September 16 raid on the Bijeljina Police Station in which the Bijeljina RS Police Chief, Vasilije Savic, was arrested. (Note: Savic was arrested as part of a wider state-level investigation into the fraudulent issuance of Citizenship Identity Protection System (CIPS) identification cards. SIPA's arrest of Savic, as ordered by the State Prosecutor, was by all accounts carried out professionally and without the use of force. End Note) Dodik then added ominously, "I want to send them (i.e., SIPA) a message that next time they will not be allowed to enter such institutions without resistance by the RS police. And I only regret that we did not arrest them all in Bijeljina and send them to Sarajevo bound up because such behavior is unacceptable." "Next time" was widely interpreted as a warning that the RS police would prevent SIPA from executing a temporary seizure order for the documents requested by the ;State Prosecutor's Office. Dodik Challenges OHR's Authority in the RS -------------- ¶3. (SBU) In the same interview, Dodik response to a question about "threats to remove (him)" with a lengthy diatribe warned that the RS would not accept any decision by the HighRep to remove him or impose additional legislation. Here's Dodik's response in full: -- "We will not accept any decision on removal by the High Representative, not because Milorad Dodik wants to stay in power, but because we no longer want to surrender without a fight. Not an armed fight, but a democratic one. We told them very clearly: 'All right, let's say you pass a decision to remove Dodik, but do you know what will happen after that?' And they say: 'You will accept it.' And what if we do not accept it. Will they bring a NATO armored vehicle in front of the government building and prevent Dodik from entering the building? And what if Dodik convenes a government session outside of Banja Luka and says that soldiers are no long welcome? You think we would not do that! You are wrong! We made that very clear to them and I think they understand it clearly now. We are not threatening, they are threatening. And why? Because Milorad Dodik says he loves the RS? Should I be removed because of that? Well, let them try, I would like to see them try to remove me. I know it is silly to tilt at windmills, but we are completely right in this matter and we will not give up. Not a single law imposed by the High Representative will be implemented or accepted by the RS. This must be known." Comment -------------- SARAJEVO 00001559 002 OF 002 ¶4. (C) Dodik's October 2 interview reinforces the view that he is prepared for and/or willing to risk a confrontation between RS police and state-level law enforcement over the State Prosecutor's request for documentation relating to the building of the RS government building. It is possible that Dodik will tone down his rhetoric on this issue after the October 5 Municipal elections, but if his October 2 interview was intended to rally voters, he chose an odd vehicle for delivering the message: a Belgrade- rather than Banja Luka-based media outlet. As we noted previously (Ref A),the State Prosecutor's Office plans, after the municipal elections, to request a court order that would authorize SIPA to seize the documents, if the RS continue to refuses to cooperate as it is required to do under Bosnian law. If Dodik's implied threat is genuine, then a confrontation between the RS police action vis-a-vis SIPA would come when SIPA seeks to enforce the seizure order. End Comment ENGLISH