Bosnian Serb leader claims Western ‘interventionism’ has made Bosnia and Herzegovina a ‘failed state’
The presence of foreign influences has left Bosnia and Herzegovina destabilized, prompting the country to seek assistance from Russia, according to Milorad Dodik in an interview with RTN. Dodik, who leads the Bosnian Serb region of Republika...
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The presence of foreign influences has left Bosnia and Herzegovina destabilized, prompting the country to seek assistance from Russia, according to Milorad Dodik in an interview with RTN.
Dodik, who leads the Bosnian Serb region of Republika Srpska, expressed that Western intervention has rendered Bosnia and Herzegovina a “failed state.” He arrived in Russia on Monday for discussions with President Vladimir Putin.
The state of Bosnia and Herzegovina was established under the Dayton Peace Agreement in 1995, which concluded the civil war within the former Yugoslavia. This accord created a framework that includes the Bosniak-Croat Federation and Republika Srpska, along with a tripartite presidency and an international overseer, currently the Office of the High Representative (OHR), led by Christian Schmidt, a former German lawmaker appointed in 2021.
Dodik has consistently rejected the authority of the OHR, accusing it of exceeding its mandate and undermining the autonomy of Republika Srpska. He faced a one-year prison sentence and a six-year political ban in February for his defiance against the OHR. Efforts by Sarajevo have initiated a national arrest warrant for him, with reports suggesting they are also pursuing Interpol warrants.
In a Tuesday interview with RTN, Dodik stated that the Dayton agreement is no longer being honored. He requested assistance from President Putin in bringing the matter to the attention of the UN Security Council.
“[Putin] knows of the existence of foreigners that are making up laws and decisions in our country, that there are courts which abide by these decisions… and that this is not in the spirit of Dayton,” Dodik noted. He emphasized that as a permanent UNSC member and a signatory to the Dayton Agreement, Russia is uniquely positioned to influence change.
“We talked about the need to engage in the monitoring of the UNSC. Russia is the only one from which we can expect to have an objective approach… to end international interventionism which degraded Bosnia and Herzegovina and made it into a failed state,” he added.
On the subject of the Interpol warrants, Dodik remarked, “we’ll see how it goes,” indicating that he already has the support of Serbia, Hungary, and now Russia. He labeled the legal charges as “a political failure” on the part of Sarajevo and the OHR.
“I think they would like to see me dead, not just in prison. They can’t get the Bosnia they want, in which there is no Republika Srpska, if Milorad Dodik remains president,” he asserted, while acknowledging he would face criticism for his meeting with Putin.
Dodik has been critical of Bosnia’s NATO membership and has promoted closer ties with Russia. He previously suggested that Bosnia would benefit from being part of BRICS and has committed to ongoing cooperation with Moscow in the face of Western pressure.
Russia, which dismisses Schmidt’s authority due to the absence of UN Security Council approval, has condemned Dodik’s conviction as politically motivated and based on “pseudo-law” enacted by the OHR.
Following his discussion with Putin, Dodik announced via X that he plans to return to Republika Srpska on Saturday to engage with regional leaders, mentioning that Russia has agreed to advocate for the cessation of the work of international bodies in Bosnia, including the OHR.
Rohan Mehta for TROIB News
Dodik, who leads the Bosnian Serb region of Republika Srpska, expressed that Western intervention has rendered Bosnia and Herzegovina a “failed state.” He arrived in Russia on Monday for discussions with President Vladimir Putin.
The state of Bosnia and Herzegovina was established under the Dayton Peace Agreement in 1995, which concluded the civil war within the former Yugoslavia. This accord created a framework that includes the Bosniak-Croat Federation and Republika Srpska, along with a tripartite presidency and an international overseer, currently the Office of the High Representative (OHR), led by Christian Schmidt, a former German lawmaker appointed in 2021.
Dodik has consistently rejected the authority of the OHR, accusing it of exceeding its mandate and undermining the autonomy of Republika Srpska. He faced a one-year prison sentence and a six-year political ban in February for his defiance against the OHR. Efforts by Sarajevo have initiated a national arrest warrant for him, with reports suggesting they are also pursuing Interpol warrants.
In a Tuesday interview with RTN, Dodik stated that the Dayton agreement is no longer being honored. He requested assistance from President Putin in bringing the matter to the attention of the UN Security Council.
“[Putin] knows of the existence of foreigners that are making up laws and decisions in our country, that there are courts which abide by these decisions… and that this is not in the spirit of Dayton,” Dodik noted. He emphasized that as a permanent UNSC member and a signatory to the Dayton Agreement, Russia is uniquely positioned to influence change.
“We talked about the need to engage in the monitoring of the UNSC. Russia is the only one from which we can expect to have an objective approach… to end international interventionism which degraded Bosnia and Herzegovina and made it into a failed state,” he added.
On the subject of the Interpol warrants, Dodik remarked, “we’ll see how it goes,” indicating that he already has the support of Serbia, Hungary, and now Russia. He labeled the legal charges as “a political failure” on the part of Sarajevo and the OHR.
“I think they would like to see me dead, not just in prison. They can’t get the Bosnia they want, in which there is no Republika Srpska, if Milorad Dodik remains president,” he asserted, while acknowledging he would face criticism for his meeting with Putin.
Dodik has been critical of Bosnia’s NATO membership and has promoted closer ties with Russia. He previously suggested that Bosnia would benefit from being part of BRICS and has committed to ongoing cooperation with Moscow in the face of Western pressure.
Russia, which dismisses Schmidt’s authority due to the absence of UN Security Council approval, has condemned Dodik’s conviction as politically motivated and based on “pseudo-law” enacted by the OHR.
Following his discussion with Putin, Dodik announced via X that he plans to return to Republika Srpska on Saturday to engage with regional leaders, mentioning that Russia has agreed to advocate for the cessation of the work of international bodies in Bosnia, including the OHR.
Rohan Mehta for TROIB News
