Bulgaria and Romania's Schengen bid vetoed

euobserver.com
22.09.11 @ 17:44

BY VALENTINA POP

The Netherlands and Finland on Thursday (22 September) vetoed Romania and Bulgaria's bid to join the border-free Schengen area, a move the Polish EU presidency said represented a "sad conclusion about mutual trust among member states...more...
read more: eu observer.com
http://euobserver.com/22/113707

Dodik ramps up rhetoric against Turkey's role

se times
08/07/2011

Is Turkey helping to deepen or bridge the BiH divide?
By Vedrana Durakovic for Southeast European Times -- 08/07/11
Republika Srpska's goal is to defend itself from Turkish domination and neo-Ottomanism, a recent article in the Serbian daily Vecernji List quoted RS President Milorad Dodik as saying.

While the debate on neo-Ottomanism is on-going, Dodik responded to a specific post-election victory comment by Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan, which sparked heated emotions in BiH and other parts of the region....more...
read more: se times
http://www.setimes.com/cocoon/setimes/xhtml/en_GB/features/setimes/features/2011/07/08/feature-03

Dodik Seeks Serbs' Independence 'Within Bosnia'

balkan insight
24 JUN 2011 / 14:10
The President of Republika Srpska says Bosnia can only survive as a confederal arrangement with most powers devolved to the component units.

Vecernje Novosti
In an interview with Serbian daily newspaper Vecernje Novosti on Friday, Milorad Dodik said that Bosnia cannot continue to exist in the same way as it does now, and needs a different model of internal organisation. ...more....

read more: balkan insight http://www.balkaninsight.com/en/article/dodik-calls-for-highly-autonomous-republika-srpska-within-bosnia

Bosnian Serb MPs Set to Withdraw Referendum Decision

balkan insight
31 May 2011 / 08:38

The National Assembly of Bosnia's predominantly Serb part is set to discuss the withdrawal of a controversial referendum on the state judiciary on Tuesday.

Eldin Hadzovic

Sarajevo
A proposal by Milorad Dodik, the President of Bosnia's predominantly Serb Republika Srpska, to repeal the decision to hold a referendum, will be put to a vote in the National Assembly of Republika Srpska, RSNA, on Tuesday....more...

read more: balkan insight
http://www.balkaninsight.com/en/article/rs-national-assembly-to-withdraw-its-decision-on-referendum

Milorad Dodik, the Bosnian Serbs’ Unstoppable Strongman

balkan insight
25 May 2011 / 14:26

Love him or loathe him, the boss of the Republika Srpska has shown that his opinions cannot be left out of any discussion on the country’s future.

Drazen Remikovic....more...

read more: balkan insight

http://www.balkaninsight.com/en/article/milorad-dodik-the-bosnian-serbs-unstoppable-strongman

Bloggers: Crisis defused in BiH but problems remain

se times
20/05/2011

Although a controversial referendum has been scrapped, agreement on a state-level government remains elusive.
By Ljiljana Kovacevic for Southeast European Times in Banja Luka -- 20/05/11
His words were dire and to the point. Bosnia and Herzegovina (BiH) was facing its worst crisis since the 1995 Dayton Accords brought an end to armed conflict in the country, High Representative Valentin Inzko warned on May 9th. ...more...

read more: se times
http://www.setimes.com/cocoon/setimes/xhtml/en_GB/features/setimes/blogreview/2011/05/20/blog-02

Bosnian Serbs Call Off Controversial Referendum

radio free europe
May 13, 2011

By RFE/RL
The Bosnian Serb leadership has called off a controversial referendum that had sparked a political crisis and threatened to sour ties with the international community.
The referendum, planned for next month, would have asked Bosnian Serbs whether they accept the authority of the national court and of the UN-appointed envoy to Bosnia-Herzegovina.
Bosnian Serb President Milorad Dodik made the announcement today after meeting with EU foreign-affairs chief Catherine Ashton in Banja Luka -- the capital of the Serbian entity in Bosnia, Republika Srpska:
"We should all work together to bring the judiciary in line with European standards," he said. ...more...
read more: radio free europe
http://www.rferl.org/content/bosnian_serbs_call_off_controversial_referendum/24107526.html

Dodik cancels referendum after talks with Ashton

se times
16/05/2011

The president says a referendum on judicial institutions is no longer needed.
By Ljiljana Smiljanic for Southeast European Times in Banja Luka -- 16/05/11
Republika Srpska (RS) dodged possible sanctions by the Office of the High Representative on Saturday (May 14th) when the entity's president, Milorad Dodik, decided to postpone organising a referendum on BiH's court and prosecutor's office. ...more...
read more: se times
http://www.setimes.com/cocoon/setimes/xhtml/en_GB/features/setimes/features/2011/05/16/feature-01

Bosnian Serb Leader 'Victorious' in Referendum Dispute

balkan insight
16 May 2011 / 09:53

After being forced to drop a controversial referendum last week, some analysts say Republika Srpska President Milorad Dodik nevertheless emerged victorious in the dispute.
Eldin Hadzovic

Sarajevo
The president of Bosnia's predominantly Serb entity, Republika Srpska, agreed to drop plans to hold a referendum on the state court and prosecutor and the decisions imposed by the top international official in the country, the High Representative, after meeting with EU foreign policy chief Catherine Ashton in Banja Luka on Friday....more...

http://www.balkaninsight.com/en/article/will-bonsian-serb-leader-suffer-legal-consequences-for-anti-constitutional-actions

read more: balkan insight

Tadić congratulates RS president on agreement with EU

b92.net
Politics

Sunday 15.05.2011
11:29
Source: Tanjug

NOVI SAD -- Serbian President Boris Tadić congratulated Saturday Republic of Srpska (RS) President Milorad Dodik on the agreement with the EU....more...
read more: b92.net
http://www.b92.net/eng/news/politics-article.php?yyyy=2011&mm=05&dd=15&nav_id=74340

Dodik changes mind on referendum

b92.net
Source: Tanjug

BANJA LUKA -- RS President Milorad Dodik said in Banja Luka on Friday that the referendum on the decisions of high representatives in Bosnia was "unnecessary".
He also said that visiting High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy of the European Union (EU) Catherine Ashton promised the EU would form a commission for restructuring the judicial institutions in Bosnia....more...
read more: b92.net
http://www.b92.net/eng/news/region-article.php?yyyy=2011&mm=05&dd=13&nav_id=74312

Ashton convinces Dodik to give up on referendum

tportal.hr
BOSNIA AND HERZEGOVINA
13.05.2011 13:43

Author: Radio.net

The European Union High Representative for the Common Foreign and Security Policy, Catherine Ashton, on Friday persuaded the President of Republika Srpska, Milorad Dodik, to give up on the implementation of a referendum which was supposed to challenge the existence of Bosnia's State Court and Office of the Prosecutor....more...

read more: tportal.hr
http://daily.tportal.hr/127686/Ashton-convinces-Dodik-to-give-up-on-referendum.html

Bosnians React to Decision to Drop Referendum

balkan insight
13 May 2011 / 17:24

After meeting with EU foreign policy chief Catherine Ashton on Friday in Sarajevo, Bosniak leaders said they were pleased that the controversial referendum in Republika Srpska had been dropped.
Eldin Hadzovic

Sarajevo
Zlatko Lagumdzija, the president of the Social Democrats, the largest party in the mainly Bosniak-Croat federation, said that he was glad that Republika Srpska had shown a willingness to withdraw the decision on the referendum, which would have challenged the state court....more...

http://www.balkaninsight.com/en/article/bosnians-react-to-decision-to-drop-referendum

read more: balkan insight

Bosnia: Dodik Agrees to Drop Disputed Referendum

balkan insight
13 May 2011 / 14:15

Bosnian Serb leader Milorad Dodik said today that a controversial referendum on the state court and prosecutor "is not necessary", putting a temporary end to a crisis that has lasted several weeks.Eldin Hadzovic, Drazen Remikovic
Sarajevo, Banja Luka
Dodik, the president of Bosnia's predominantly Serb entity, Republika Srpska, met on Friday with EU foreign policy chief Catherine Ashton and EU envoy Miroslav Lajcak, and other top Republika Srpska officials....more...

http://www.balkaninsight.com/en/article/catherine-ashton-to-meet-bosnian-leaders

read more: balkan insight

Dodik agrees to postpone RS referendum

b92.net
Region

Thursday 12.05.2011
13:04
Source: Blic, Tanjug

BELGRADE -- Serb Republic (RS) President Milorad Dodik has stated that RS authorities have come into contact with Brussels and agreed to postpone a planned referendum.
This comes "as a sign of good will so as to enable opening of a dialogue on the questions that RS has tabled"...more...
read more: b92.net
http://www.b92.net/eng/news/region-article.php?yyyy=2011&mm=05&dd=12&nav_id=74301

Dodik: Serb entity willing to postpone referendum

tportal.hr
REPUBLIKA SRPSKA
12.05.2011 14:50

Author: Radio.net

The President of the Bosnian Serb entity of Republika Srpska (RS), Milorad Dodik, told the Belgrade-based Blic daily of Thursday that the RS had agreed to postpone a referendum challenging the existence of Bosnia's State Court and Office of the Prosecutor as a sign of good will, and that it was eagerly awaiting Friday's decision by the High Representative to Bosnia, Valentin Inzko, on the RS referendum plan....more...

read more: tportal.hr
http://daily.tportal.hr/127480/Dodik-Serb-entity-willing-to-postpone-referendum.html

Inzko says replacement of Milorad Dodik possible

tportal.hr
BOSNIA AND HERZEGOVINA
12.05.2011 10:30

Author: Radio.net

The international community's High Representative in Bosnia and Herzegovina, Valentin Inzko, has said that the President of the Serb entity of Republika Srpska (RS), Milorad Dodik, could be replaced over his actions that jeopardise the implementation of the Dayton peace agreement which put an end to the war in the country in 1995....more...

read more: tportal.hr
http://daily.tportal.hr/127393/Inzko-says-replacement-of-Milorad-Dodik-possible.html

RS negotiating with Brussels

blic online

Interview with Milorad Dodik

NEDELJKA BREBERINA ANĐELKO KOZOMARA

12. 05. 2011. - 00:02h
Foto: S. Pašalić
Komentara: 0

The Republic of Srpska is impatiently waiting for tomorrow’s decision by the High Representative Valentin Incko about the referendum in the RS. In the interview with ‘Blic’, the RS President Milorad Dodik says that ‘the RS has elaborated strategy whatever move Incko may make’....more...

read more: blic online
http://english.blic.rs/News/7634/RS-negotiating-with-Brussels

Faut-il avoir vraiment peur de Milorad Dodik ?

le monde.fr
10 mai 2011
Une fois de plus, le leader de l’entité serbe de la Bosnie-Herzégovine, Milorad Dodik, a agité la menace du référendum pour remettre en cause l’autorité du pouvoir central. Cette fois-ci, il souhaiterait que les électeurs se prononcent - en juin - sur la légalité des décisions des représentants de la communauté internationale dans le pays, notamment dans le domaine de la justice. Une initiative qui risque de sonner le glas de l’unité constitutionnelle du pays privé depuis sept mois de gouvernement faute d’accord entre les partis dans l’autre entité bosnienne, la Fédération croato-musulmane....more...
read more: le monde.fr
http://balkans.blog.lemonde.fr/2011/05/10/faut-il-avoir-vraiment-peur-de-milorad-dodik/

Back To The Bad Old Days In Bosnia

radio free europe
May 10, 2011

By Nenad Pejic
Milorad Dodik isn't exactly a household name outside of the Balkans. But that could soon change -- and it probably won't be good news for Bosnia-Herzegovina or the wider situation in Southeastern Europe.
Dodik is the president of Republika Srpska, the Serbian component of the Bosnian federal state. These days his reception room is crowded with international representatives trying to dissuade him from calling a referendum designed to scuttle a law originally issued 10 years ago by the Office of the High Representative, the country's UN-appointed administrator.
The law would have enabled the federal government in Sarajevo to function more smoothly -- which is just what Dodik wants to prevent. The international community is worried that Dodik's defiance could undermine the state's fragile existence.
Now the UN Security Council has been forced to take a stand on the issue. On May 9, High Representative Valentin Inzko received a solid expression of support from the UN Security Council -- welcome enough, but still a long away from any decisive action.
Dodik reacted immediately by downplaying the announcement, saying that only a few countries on the council had actually participated in the pro-Inzko vote: "For support like that it wasn't even worth the trip!" ...more...
read more: balkan insight
http://www.rferl.org/content/commentary_back_to_bad_old_days_in_bosnia/24096999.html