SARAJEVO (Bosnia and Herzegovina), September 26 (SeeNews) – Transparency International Bosnia said on Wednesday it has filed criminal charges against Milorad Dodik, president of the country's Serb Republic entity, for threats against voters during his campaign for next month's elections.
TI BH said in a statement that Dodik, during public rallies held ahead of Bosnia's October 7 general and presidential elections, has threatened employees of coal mining and energy company RiTE Gacko, medical staff, pensioners and other segments of the population with the aim of influencing voters.
The organisation has filed its charges against Dodik with the Prosecutor's Office of Bosnia and Herzegovina and with the prosecutor's offices in several cities across the Serb Republic.
Dodik could face up to three years in prison if convicted on those charges, a spokesperson for Transparency International Bosnia told SeeNews on Wednesday. However, the organisation expressed doubts that the charges will make it on the agenda of the relevant institutions prior to the elections.
Transparency International Bosnia explained that Dodik, during rallies held between September 18 and 22 in Ugljevik, Banja Luka and Gacko, displayed elements of criminal behaviour described in the Serb Republic's Criminal Code, particularly elements relating to coercion, incitement to violence and hatred, and bribery in elections.
In addition, the organisation noted, the Criminal Code of Bosnia and Herzegovina prohibits the use of force, threats, coercion, bribery or the use of someone's difficult economic situation in order to influence votes.
It added that apart from criminal charges, the organisation has notified Bosnia's Central Election Commission of Dodik's violations.
In the October elections, Dodik is running for a seat in Bosnia's tripartite presidency.
During his rally in Gacko, Dodik threatened the plant's employees with dismissals if they vote for his opponents.
The Serb Republic is one of two entities that make up Bosnia and Herzegovina, the other is the Federation.