At the time, Topic says, he was “very openly” spreading the pro-Russian narrative, which came to dominate Republika Srpska. Now these relations are “under the handbrake,” but they are still good.
US sanctions have been lifted, but the pro-Russian narrative has remained the same. This is according to an analysis by Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, based on statements that Milorad Dodik, leader of the ruling party in Republika Srpska in Bosnia and Herzegovina, has made, mainly to Russian media. In the past five months, since the US lifted sanctions against him, he has appeared repeatedly in Kremlin-linked media outlets, such as RIA Novosti, Russia 24 and Russia 1.
In his statements, he praises Russian President Vladimir Putin and sharply criticizes the West. He describes Russia as “a new civilization,” while accusing the European Union of destabilizing the Balkans – especially Germany. Dodik has also announced a trip to Russia on May 9, Victory Day, where he will meet, as he said, “his friends” – Putin and Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov. The European Commission, unofficially, tells Radio Free Europe that they do not attach importance to Dodik’s statements in the Russian media.
FOR RUSSIA, AGAINST EU
In an interview with Russian media, Dodik praised Putin, supported Russia’s invasion of Ukraine and claimed that the West – led by the EU – was working to disintegrate Russia. Speaking to the RIA Novosti news agency in late March, he said that “the West and the European Union continue to be destructive” and “demonstrate their hostile attitude” towards Republika Srpska. He also said that he wants Republika Srpska to be connected to Serbia’s gas grid via the Eastern Interconnection pipeline, to receive Russian gas. After returning from a visit to the United States in early February – his first since sanctions were lifted – Dodik said he was continuing his “strategic” cooperation with Russia. He made the same statement in Israel in January, after a meeting with the Russian ambassador there.
In a January report on the Russian channel Russia 1, on the Day of Republika Srpska – a holiday that the Constitutional Court of Bosnia and Herzegovina has repeatedly declared incompatible with the Constitution – Dodik declared that Republika Srpska “will not give up ‘sovereignty’ to join the European Union”. A December interview on the television channel Russia 24 was similar. In it, he justified the Russian invasion of Ukraine and accused Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky – without any evidence – of occupying Russian-inhabited territories in eastern Ukraine.
A short while ago, he told the TASS agency that Bosnia and Herzegovina would not join NATO because Republika Srpska opposes such a thing, and added that only cooperation with Russia “can save Europe from collapse.” There were also messages from Moscow that, despite the rapprochement with Washington, they still support Dodik and his party, the SNSD.
Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova, on the eve of the repeat presidential elections in Republika Srpska in early February, stated that this is a campaign by the West “to destabilize Republika Srpska.”
WHAT IS DODIK’S STRATEGY?
Tanja Topic, a political analyst from Banja Luka, tells Radio Free Europe that Dodik is pursuing a policy of “sitting on two chairs,” trying to balance between Moscow and Washington. This policy, she says, is similar to the strategy of Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic. She adds that Dodik, after the lifting of US sanctions, has slowly withdrawn himself from Russia’s “embrace,” “although he has not completely withdrawn from that embrace and certainly will not do so.” “He will try not to jeopardize the goodwill that the US currently has, but will simply try to balance and play on two chairs,” says Topic. She also recalls the contradictory phase of Dodik’s policy – while under US sanctions, he harshly criticized the administration of President Joe Biden, while, in parallel, Republika Srpska allocated significant funds to lobby for their removal.
At the time, Topic says, he was “very openly” spreading the pro-Russian narrative, which managed to become dominant in Republika Srpska. Now those relations are “under the handbrake,” but they are still good. Since President Donald Trump returned to the White House, Dodik and his political associates have repeatedly praised the administration in Washington.
HAS THERE BEEN OTHER CONTACTS WITH RUSSIA?
Over the past six months, contacts between Republika Srpska and Russia have been mainly at the level of cultural and educational exchange. The highest-ranking entity official to travel to Russia during this period was Draga Mastilović, Minister of Scientific, Technological Development and Higher Education in Republika Srpska. He was in Moscow in March for the “Russia-Balkans” forum. In December last year, the Russian Ambassador to Bosnia and Herzegovina, Igor Kalabukhov, awarded Željko Budimir, Minister of Internal Affairs of Republika Srpska, the “Pushkin” medal – a high Russian award in the field of culture, art and strengthening friendship between peoples.
The medal was awarded by Putin’s decree. Two weeks before the sanctions were lifted, in mid-October, a delegation from the National Assembly of Republika Srpska, led by President Nenad Stevandic, who was also under sanctions at the time, visited the Legislative Assembly of St. Petersburg.
MEETINGS WITH PUTIN, SANCTIONS IN EUROPE
In recent years, Dodik has met frequently with Vladimir Putin and Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban. He last met with the Russian president in Sochi in early October last year, on the sidelines of the Valdai International Discussion Club. It was their ninth meeting since February 2022, when Russia launched a full-scale invasion of Ukraine. At the time, it was not specified in what capacity Dodik was meeting, as he held no position at any level of government. Dodik was removed from his position as president of Republika Srpska after a final ruling issued by the Court of Bosnia and Herzegovina for failure to comply with the decisions of the international High Representative. He continued to be welcomed by Putin, but not in some European countries.
Dodik is already under sanctions by the United Kingdom, while last year Germany, Austria, Lithuania, Estonia and Slovenia also imposed sanctions against him, banning him from entering those countries. The European Parliament has called for the EU to impose collective sanctions against Dodik, but these efforts have failed because they have not had unanimous support from all member states, specifically Hungary. (RFE)