As he announced on Monday, the Serbian member of the BiH Presidency, Milorad Dodik, met on Friday with the President of the Russian Federation, Vladimir Putin, on the sidelines of the economic forum in St. Petersburg.
As reported from the Kremlin, Putin said that he "highly appreciates Dodik's position on the issue of sanctions", but that in the "current conditions" there are certain difficulties related to the accession of BiH to the sanctions. "But we know your (Dodik's) position and I value it highly." Despite all the difficulties, relationships continue and will develop, especially with those who want to maintain those relationships. And as far as I know, you are one of those people," Putin said.
For Dodik, this was "an important meeting, full of understanding about important topics." As he told RTRS, he complained to Putin about the legitimacy of the High Representative of the International Community in BiH, Christian Šmit, because his mandate was not confirmed by the Security Council. Dodik convinced Putin that Republika Srpska has not and will not accept sanctions against Russia, because it is "a matter of principle".
"The principle is very important. Some in BiH, who want to impose sanctions on Russia, do not take into account the fact that Russia is the guarantor of the Dayton Agreement and that it is completely pointless for someone to impose some kind of sanctions on the guarantor of its existence".
For the leader of the Bosnian Serbs and the closest associate of Serbian President Aleksandar Vučić in Bosnia and Herzegovina, Russia and its president are pursuing an "authentic policy aimed at protecting their interests." Dodik says that he left a good impression on Putin, as evidenced by the fact that he invited him to come again in September.
Unlike President Vučić, Dodik managed to meet with the Russian Minister of Foreign Affairs, Sergey Lavrov, as well as other low-ranking politicians and representatives of Gazprom. As a result of these meetings, according to Dodik, Republika Srpska will get two gas power plants, as soon as the "paperwork between BiH and Serbia" is settled.
Reactions to Dodik's meeting with Putin in BiH do not stop. The opposition sees Dodik's visit as "propaganda" and the usual tricks in which the Serbian member of the Presidency turns as the wind blows. "If he loves Russia so much, why doesn't he invite Lavrov to Banja Luka?", they asked him. They also believe that Dodik would meet with the "black devil" just to score some points in the public before the elections scheduled for September 2.
Although the flags of Russia and Bosnia and Herzegovina were flying during the meeting between Putin and Dodik, a Bosniak member of the Presidency, Šefik Džaferović, assessed that this meeting was Dodik's private matter. "It is his private departure that is not supported by the BiH Presidency".
By meeting with Putin, Milorad Dodik seems to cement the West's view of him as a Russian player in Bosnia and the problem of all the problems in that country. That's why they are Great Britain and America decided to introduce sanctions even earlier Serbian member of the presidency. Since the EU cannot reach an agreement on this, because the decision on sanctions requires unanimity and Viktor Orban protects Dodik from sanctions, Germany has decided to stop financing four important infrastructure projects in the Republika Srpska.
SP/RTRS/DW/N1
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