At the recent UN Security Council session on Bosnia and Herzegovina, it was clear that an ideological shift had taken place — a return to respect for international law, said Željko Budimir, Minister of Internal Affairs of Republika Srpska.
Budimir emphasized that the message from the United States was unambiguous: “Sit down at the table.”
“Republika Srpska has shown that it did not create the crisis, but that its status and rights must be respected. The role of the High Representative, as pointed out by Russia and China, is destabilizing — every move he has made so far has produced instability. He abuses powers that are purely invented,” Budimir said in an interview with RTRS.
He stressed that the shift in approach represents a success for the diplomacy led by President Milorad Dodik and BiH Presidency member Željka Cvijanović.
Budimir recalled Dodik’s meetings in the Russian Federation, where he met four times with President Vladimir Putin and on several occasions with Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov.
“Our goal was to show that the position of the Serb people in the Balkans must be defined through the principles of international law — and we are succeeding. That struggle will continue because there are many actors who do not want stability,” he noted.
Budimir underlined that what happened now was an ideological turn — a return to respect for international law, clearly reflected when U.S. representatives stated that they would no longer interfere in the internal affairs of other states.
He reminded that Bosnia and Herzegovina had been “the first, and very unsuccessful, experiment in creating a synthetic nation”, describing that attempt as catastrophic.
“We now have a more balanced approach,” Budimir said.
He pointed out that there are no “magic words” in global politics and that nothing happens overnight — persistence is what matters.
“We must align with international agendas and demonstrate our importance. That’s precisely the policy of the authorities in Republika Srpska — to never abandon our national interests. Imagine if we had submitted to Brussels’ policies or succumbed to Murphy’s pressures — Republika Srpska would no longer exist,” Budimir stressed.
He added that the rhetoric coming from Christian Schmidt has been deeply damaging, as it has promoted imposed visions that push Germany toward a neo-colonial approach to the region.
Regarding the opposition, Budimir said that personal rivalries and the struggle for power prevail, rather than national unity.
“They are willing to compromise with parties from joint institutions that view Republika Srpska as a smaller entity that should be abolished. They form alliances without consulting the Government of Srpska,” he stated.
Budimir also commented on his and President Dodik’s participation at the recent Security Conference in Minsk, saying it demonstrated that Republika Srpska and the Serb people are seeking their rightful place and defending their interests.
“Dodik’s participation also highlighted the importance of small states that strive for their position in the international system — because if international law truly exists, small states have a chance. The Serb people are a great people, living at the crossroads of geopolitical paths,” Budimir concluded.
Source: Glas Srpske
