Patriarch Porfirije of Serbia made a statement expressing deep concern over the recent ruling by the Court of Bosnia and Herzegovina, which sentenced the legally elected President of Republika Srpska, Milorad Dodik, to one year in prison and imposed a six-year ban on political activity.
In his statement, Patriarch Porfirije criticized the verdict as unconstitutional and contrary to the Dayton Agreement, warning that it could jeopardize three decades of efforts to heal war wounds and foster reconciliation among the peoples of Bosnia and Herzegovina. He described the decision as extremely dangerous for the stability of the region.
“This ruling, undoubtedly unconstitutional and in violation of the Dayton Agreement, has the potential to undermine everything that has been achieved in the past thirty years in terms of healing war wounds and promoting reconciliation among the peoples of Bosnia and Herzegovina.”
The Serbian Patriarch called for calm, urging all parties involved to do everything in their power to prevent rising tensions in Bosnia and Herzegovina.
“Praying to the Lord, the Giver of peace, to grant us a spirit of peace and inspiration to build it together, I appeal to all parties in this unfortunate situation to do their utmost to halt and prevent an escalation of tensions in Bosnia and Herzegovina. God forbid, such tensions could destabilize the Balkans and the wider region, undoing the fragile and hard-won process of interethnic reconciliation and plunging us into unnecessary and tragic conflicts.”
Source: Patriarchate of Serbia
