Republika Srpska

SARAJEVO - Republika Srpska President Milorad Dodik has been summoned for questioning as a suspect over the holding of Sunday's Republika Srpska Day referendum, the Fena news agency reported Monday.

The Prosecutor's Office confirmed to Fena Dodik had been summoned to testify in a case of non-execution of a decision of the Constitutional Court of Bosnia and Herzegovina.

Voters in Bosnia-Herzegovina's entity of Republika Srpska have defied a ruling by the country's top court which bans celebrations in the region on January 09, according to local media.

In a referendum held on Sunday, an overwhelming 99.79% of voters have replied with a "yes" when asked whether or not to celebrate their annual "statehood" holiday, Balkan Insight reports.

MOSCOW - Russian President Vladimir Putin met in Moscow late Thursday with Republika Srpska President Milorad Dodik, who said the meeting had been very successful and that Putin expressed support for stabilisation in the region.

Initial results from the disputed referendum on Sunday in Republika Srpska showed 99.79 per cent of voters said 'yes' to celebrating their annual 'statehood' holiday on January 9 after 71.09 per cent of votes were counted - rejecting a ban by the country's highest court.

BELGRADE - Bosnian Serbs are set to have a referendum on Sunday regarding their right to hold annual Republika Srpska Day celebrations, which take place on January 9.

The intention to hold the referendum has been confirmed by Republika Srpska's President Milorad Dodik.

MOSCOW - Russian President Vladimir Putin met in Moscow late Thursday with Republika Srpska President Milorad Dodik, who said the meeting had been very successful and that Putin expressed support for stabilisation in the region.

BITOLA - Serbian President Tomislav Nikolic on Friday laid a wreath at the Serbian military cemetery in Bitola, Republic of Macedonia, as part of the centenary commemorations of the WWI Battle of Kajmakcalan.

Republika Srpska President Milorad Dodik also laid a wreath at the final resting place of 1,321 Serbian soldiers who fell in the Balkan Wars and WWI.

Bosnia's Constitutional Court on Saturday approved a temporary ban on the controversial referendum because it said the vote challenges a decision made by the state-level institution, which it argued that Republika Srpska does not have the authority to do.

BANJALUKA - Republika Srpska President Milorad Dodik will meet with Russian President Vladimir Putin in Moscow on Thursday, September 22 - three days before the Republika Srpska Day referendum.

Dusko Perovic, the head of the Republika Srpska representative office in Moscow, said Putin's office had confirmed the meeting would be held on September 22, the RTRS reported.

Bosnia and Herzegovina's state-level Constitutional Court is due to consider two appeals on Saturday that critics of the ethnically-divisive referendum planned by the Republika Srpska authorities for September 25 hope could stop the vote being held.