SARAJEVO, Bosnia-Herzegovina (AP) — On Wednesday, a Bosnian court handed down a one-year prison sentence to Milorad Dodik, the pro-Russia president of the Bosnian Serb entity, due to his separatist activities as tensions escalate in this delicate Balkan nation. Additionally, he has been barred from engaging in political activities for six years.

This significant ruling in Sarajevo emerged following a year-long trial concerning allegations that Dodik defied the authority of the top international representative responsible for overseeing peace efforts in Bosnia. The ruling is expected to undergo an appeals process before becoming final.

Dodik, along with his legal team, was absent during the sentencing. He has publicly stated that he would ignore any convictions against him and has threatened to take “radical measures,” including the potential secession of Republika Srpska, the Serb-dominated entity in Bosnia, from the rest of the nation.

Repeatedly, Dodik has advocated for the separation of the Serb-led region of Bosnia to unite with Serbia, a stance that prompted sanctions from the previous U.S. administration against him and his close associates. He has also faced allegations of corruption and promoting pro-Russian policies.

Dodik’s separatist rhetoric has heightened fears in Bosnia, where the conflict from 1992 to 1995 claimed around 100,000 lives and displaced millions, following the Serbs’ rebellion against independence from the former Yugoslavia and their intent to form a mini-state to align with Serbia.

The U.S.-brokered Dayton Accords ended the war, establishing two autonomous regions: Republika Srpska and the Bosniak-Croat Federation, while retaining several joint institutions such as the military, the top judiciary, and the tax administration. Bosnia’s political structure also includes a rotating three-member presidency composed of representatives from the Bosniak, Serb, and Croat communities.

Dodik has frequently clashed with Christian Schmidt, the international envoy responsible for peace oversight, labeling Schmidt’s decisions as illegal within Republika Srpska. The Dayton agreement grants the high representative the authority to impose decisions and revise laws within the country.

Camil Durakovic, a Bosniak official, remarked that the verdict against Dodik demonstrates that “no one is above the law” and emphasized that individuals must be accountable for their actions.

During a gathering of thousands in Banja Luka, the administrative capital of the Bosnian Serb region, Dodik responded to the verdict. “They claim I am guilty, but here, people will question why I’m not guilty,” he told the crowd. “There’s no need for concern. I have faced tougher challenges before.”

In Serbia, President Aleksandar Vucic convened an emergency national security council session before traveling to Banja Luka to express his support for Dodik. He condemned the ruling as “shameful, unlawful, anti-democratic, and aimed at undermining Republika Srpska and the Serbian people’s position.”

Given Vucic’s full support, it is unlikely that Dodik will serve his prison sentence soon, as he has the option of seeking refuge in Belgrade.

Dodik mentioned that he had spoken by phone with Hungary’s Prime Minister Viktor Orban, who he referred to as a friend. Orban expressed his solidarity on social media, stating, “The political witch hunt against President @MiloradDodik is a troubling example of the misuse of the legal system against a democratically elected leader. If we wish to maintain stability in the Western Balkans, this is not the right approach!”

Later on Wednesday, Dodik announced that the Bosnian Serb parliament would vote to dismiss the legal proceedings against him and pass several laws to restrict the operations of central Bosnian legal institutions from the Serb-governed region.

The European Union mission in Bosnia has called on all political leaders “to avoid and renounce divisive rhetoric and actions that provoke unrest.”