The parliament of Bosnia’s Republika Srpska appointed Ana Trisic Babic as interim president on Saturday, marking the first official acknowledgment that former President Milorad Dodik is stepping down following a court ruling that barred him from holding political office, Reuters reported via BTA.

Ana Trisic Babic, a close ally of Dodik, will serve as interim president for one month, until new presidential elections are scheduled on November 23.

In addition to the appointment, the Republika Srpska parliament repealed several separatist laws enacted over the past year after Dodik was accused of ignoring rulings by both the international community’s special envoy and the constitutional court.

Despite the parliamentary vote, Dodik, a pro-Russian nationalist advocating for Republika Srpska’s secession and potential unification with Serbia, has so far refused to step aside. He continues to perform presidential duties and travel abroad, while appealing the court’s decision to the constitutional court. Dodik stated that the policy of pursuing secession remains unchanged and that any such move would require coordination with international partners.

The U.S. State Department welcomed the parliamentary vote, describing it as a result of American-led efforts “to defuse the crisis in Bosnia and Herzegovina.” Brendan Hanrahan, a senior official at the Bureau of European and Eurasian Affairs, told Reuters that the actions of the Republika Srpska National Assembly promote stability in the country and lay the groundwork for a constructive partnership with the United States based on shared interests and economic potential.

On Friday, the U.S. Treasury Department removed four of Dodik’s associates from its sanctions list, a decision praised by Dodik, who continues to campaign for the lifting of sanctions imposed on him. Dodik is sanctioned by the U.S. and the U.K. for obstructing the Dayton peace agreement, which ended the Bosnian war in the 1990s, as well as by several European countries concerned that his separatist policies threaten peace and stability in Bosnia, Reuters noted.