Independence movements

History of Republika Srpska's status and the 2021-2025 withdrawal campaign

From the 1995 Dayton Agreement establishing Republika Srpska as a Bosnian entity, through the 2021 withdrawal decisions and Constitutional Court annulments, to the 2025 conviction and removal of President Milorad Dodik.

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The 1995 Dayton settlement

The General Framework Agreement for Peace in Bosnia and Herzegovina (the Dayton Peace Agreement) was initialled on 21 November 1995 and formally signed in Paris on 14 December 1995, establishing Bosnia and Herzegovina as a single sovereign state composed of two entities: the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina and Republika Srpska.[1] Republika Srpska is a unitary, highly centralised entity, in contrast to the ten-canton Federation; the Brčko District is a separate, jointly governed territorial unit dividing Republika Srpska into two parts.[2]

· Agreement

Dayton Peace Agreement, 1995

A peace agreement ending the Bosnian War established Republika Srpska as one of two entities of a single Bosnian state.

The 2021-2025 withdrawal campaign

From October 2021, RS President Milorad Dodik led a legislative campaign to withdraw the entity from Bosnia's joint army, judiciary and indirect-tax administration, formalised in RS National Assembly decisions of 10 December 2021, which also instructed that implementing legislation be drafted within six months.[3]

The Constitutional Court of Bosnia and Herzegovina repeatedly annulled resulting RS entity laws, including one affecting the state Agency for Medicines and Medical Devices and an attempt to block state-level legislation criminalising genocide denial and the glorification of convicted war criminals.[4] On 7 March 2025, the Court suspended further separatist legislation pending review.[5]

The conviction and removal of Milorad Dodik

In February 2025, the Court of Bosnia and Herzegovina sentenced Dodik, then RS President, to one year in prison and banned him from the RS presidency for six years, for non-compliance with decisions of the international High Representative.[6] The sentence was confirmed on 6 August 2025, and his appeal was rejected on 18 August 2025, terminating his mandate with the termination date recorded as 12 June 2025; RS Prime Minister Radovan Višković resigned the same day.[7] Dodik, who has long contested the High Representative's legitimacy, described the ruling as political persecution.[8]

Sources for this page

Each number marks a specific claim. Notes give the source, its locator and how it relates to the claim.

  1. 1.

    Claim: The General Framework Agreement for Peace in Bosnia and Herzegovina (the Dayton Peace Agreement) was initialled on 21 November 1995 and formally signed in Paris on 14 December 1995, establishing Bosnia and Herzegovina as a single sovereign state composed of two entities: the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina and Republika Srpska.

    • General Framework Agreement for Peace in Bosnia and Herzegovina (Dayton Peace Agreement) (PA-X Peace Agreements Database, University of Edinburgh, 14 December 1995) link, preamble and Annex 4 (Constitution). Source record
  2. 2.

    Claim: Republika Srpska is a unitary, highly centralised entity, in contrast to the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina, which is subdivided into ten cantons; the Brčko District functions as a separate, jointly governed territorial unit dividing Republika Srpska into two parts.

    • House of Commons Library, Bosnia and Herzegovina: secessionism in the Republika Srpska (UK Parliament) link, Structure of Bosnia and Herzegovina section. Government perspective or primary official source Source record
  3. 3.

    Claim: On 10 December 2021, the RS National Assembly confirmed decisions to withdraw its consent for joint armed forces, a joint judiciary and a joint indirect-taxation system, having first announced this intent in October 2021, and instructed that new entity-level legislation be drafted within six months to give effect to withdrawal from the Bosnian Army, security services, the indirect tax system and the judiciary.

    • Lawmakers In Bosnian Serb Entity Vote To Quit Constitutional Court (Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty) link, article text. Source record
    • House of Commons Library, Bosnia and Herzegovina: secessionism in the Republika Srpska (UK Parliament) link, 2021 withdrawal decisions section. Government perspective or primary official source Source record
  4. 4.

    Claim: The Constitutional Court of Bosnia and Herzegovina annulled several subsequent RS entity laws, including one affecting the state Agency for Medicines and Medical Devices and an attempt to block implementation of state-level legislation criminalising genocide denial and the glorification of convicted war criminals.

    • House of Commons Library, Bosnia and Herzegovina: secessionism in the Republika Srpska (UK Parliament) link, Constitutional Court rulings section. Government perspective or primary official source Source record
  5. 5.

    Claim: On 7 March 2025, the Constitutional Court of Bosnia and Herzegovina suspended further separatist legislation adopted by the RS National Assembly, pending its review.

    • Bosnia's top court suspends separatist laws adopted by Bosnian Serbs (Al Jazeera, 7 March 2025) link, article text. Source record
  6. 6.

    Claim: In February 2025, the Court of Bosnia and Herzegovina sentenced Milorad Dodik, then President of Republika Srpska, to one year in prison and banned him from holding the office of President of Republika Srpska for six years, for non-compliance with decisions of the international High Representative for Bosnia and Herzegovina.

  7. 7.

    Claim: The sentence was confirmed on 6 August 2025, and Dodik's appeal was rejected on 18 August 2025, terminating his mandate as President of Republika Srpska with the termination date recorded as 12 June 2025; RS Prime Minister Radovan Višković resigned the same day (18 August 2025).

  8. 8.

    Claim: Milorad Dodik has long contested the legitimacy and legal authority of the Office of the High Representative and, after the 2025 ruling, described it as political persecution. Attributed to Milorad Dodik

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