The president of Republika Srpska, Milorad Dodik, stated in an interview with the Italian newspaper La Repubblica that he does not recognize, nor will he ever recognize, the political verdict of an inquisitorial court created to specifically prosecute one ethnic group—Serbs.
When the journalist pointed out that the court is an “official and recognized institution” established by a parliamentary vote based on a law enacted by the high representative, Dodik emphasized that the Court of BiH is not an official institution but a product of impositions by liberal circles that forced institutions outside the constitutional framework. He stated that he himself is a victim of a political process.
Asked how he can claim that the trial against him is politically motivated, Dodik responded that he is being convicted because the German Christian Schmidt, who in the past had sympathies for Nazi ideology, issued a decree stating that anyone who does not obey his decisions commits a crime.
Regarding audio evidence allegedly proving that close relatives of Judge Sena Uzunović demanded a bribe in exchange for a favorable verdict, and the origin of that recording, Dodik said that a police investigation is ongoing and that he cannot disclose details.
“I can say that I was asked to pay several million euros for an acquittal,” Dodik stated, adding that he will decide what to do with the recording once the investigation is complete and that he is not using it for now.
On legal reforms and allegations of secession
When asked about the law banning the jurisdiction of the Court of BiH, the Prosecutor’s Office, and SIPA on the territory of Republika Srpska—adopted by the National Assembly of Republika Srpska—and whether this amounts to secession, Dodik emphasized that the narrative about secession is false and misleading, promoted by Western politicians and media.
“These laws are a way to return to our original constitution, which defines Bosnia and Herzegovina as a confederation without competencies in judicial affairs, military, police, or fiscal matters. Over time, these powers were seized through external impositions by foreign-appointed high representatives,” Dodik stated.
Dodik also clarified to the journalist, who referred to him as the “leader of Bosnian Serbs,” that he is a Serb and the leader of Serbs in Bosnia, not a “Bosnian Serb.”
“We are part of a single nation—a nation that lives in Serbia, Montenegro, and across the Balkans. We are one and the same,” Dodik emphasized.
On Republika Srpska’s right to a military force
When asked about the potential re-establishment of a Serb military force, Dodik stated that Republika Srpska has the right to do so, as determined by the Dayton Agreement and the Constitution, and that Srpska intends to exercise that right sooner or later.
Criticism of the West and USAID
Addressing concerns that his actions endanger the Dayton Agreement and the fragile balance of power in BiH, Dodik asserted that he is not against Dayton or the Constitution.
“The West is the one that has created chaos. USAID has invested $402 million in Bosnia and Herzegovina over the past three years, but only $150 million actually arrived. The remaining $250 million was used for dirty operations, and Elon Musk himself called USAID a criminal organization,” Dodik told La Repubblica.
On Donald Trump and U.S. politics
Asked about his views on Donald Trump, Dodik called his return to the White House “historic.”
“Trump has stated that Joe Biden’s administration was the worst in American history. If they felt that way in the U.S., imagine what Biden could have done here. Right now, there are American investigative teams in Bosnia looking into the misuse of USAID funds,” Dodik said.
Regarding his expectations from Trump, Dodik stated that Trump has already done everything he could have wished for—he shut down USAID and made it clear that the European Union is a dysfunctional structure.
“I share his opinion. Moreover, the link between Brussels and certain forces that have caused disorder in Bosnia has finally been severed,” Dodik added.
On comparisons to Kalin Georgescu
Asked why he compares his case to that of Kalin Georgescu, Dodik explained that Georgescu is under investigation solely to prevent him from winning elections.
“In that sense, he is like me—I have 60% public support, and my party has 36%,” Dodik stated, adding that he does not claim that those with public support are above the law.
“I never said that, nor do I believe it. However, the decree on which my conviction is based is illegitimate,” he concluded.
On support from Orban, the Kremlin, and Vučić
Responding to a question about the support he received from Viktor Orban and the Kremlin following his conviction by the Court of BiH, and about Serbian President Aleksandar Vučić’s visit to Banja Luka, Dodik said they discussed how to preserve peace.
“I am not creating a movement or a paramilitary militia. Everything we do, as well as the decisions of the National Assembly of Republika Srpska, is in line with the Constitution of BiH. Our focus is not on the spirit of the constitution but on its letter—word for word. We are Christians, and we do not believe in spirits,” Dodik concluded in his interview with La Repubblica.
Source: RTRS
