ZAGREB, 26 Feb (Hina) – Bosnia and Herzegovina must seek political and legal solutions that ensure the country functions effectively and guarantees equality among its peoples, Prime Minister Andrej Plenković said on Wednesday, stressing that the verdict against Milorad Dodik is not final and that tensions should be eased.

The Bosnian Serb leader was sentenced today to one year in prison and banned from political activity for six years in a first-instance ruling for disregarding decisions made by High Representative Christian Schmidt.

“Legally speaking, this is not a final verdict, that’s the first thing. Since it is not final, the question is what will happen if an appeal is lodged,” Plenković said in response to a question about the implications of the ruling for Bosnia and Herzegovina.

“Today, there are protests, speeches are being made, so the political reactions are naturally more intense than usual,” Plenković added, clearly referring to a rally in support of Dodik in Banja Luka and his strong response to the verdict.

“In any case, I think it’s important to lower the tensions and focus on finding political and legal solutions that will make Bosnia and Herzegovina functional – where all three constituent peoples have equal rights and where political responsibility for the country’s stability lies with the institutions and parties that are elected to govern,” he told reporters in Rijeka.

He emphasised that this should be the priority, adding that “it is time to take a step back and assess the situation moving forward.”

“This is not something that takes effect immediately, so it does not pose an immediate threat to him personally or to the functioning of the country. We will have to wait and see how the appeal process unfolds,” he concluded.

Dodik’s defence team and the prosecution have the right to appeal the Court of Bosnia and Herzegovina decision, and the legal and political consequences will not take effect until a final ruling is issued.