INSIDE EUROPE
BOSNIAN SERB
PRESIDENT PLAYING
WITH FIRE
BY INDRANI TALUKDAR*
B
ANALYSING BOSIAN PRESIDENT’S BALANCING
ACT BETWEEN RUSSIA AND THE US
osnian Serb leader Milorad Dodik won the 2018
general election in the Serb Republic as a part of
the Bosnia-Herzegovina's three-person presidency.
Russia was once again accused of meddling in the Bosnian
election, which the country denied. Russia’s Foreign Minister
Sergey Lavrov, during his visit to Bosnia in September, just
before the elections, had said that Russia would respect the
outcome of the 7 October election and would not back any
party.
Many analysts argued that President Dodik would win
his community’s seat in the election because of Russia’s
infl uence on it. President Dodik is well-known for his
leanings towards Russia. Just before the election, President
Dodik, on 30 September, met Russian President Vladimir
Putin in Sochi, raising speculation of the Kremlin’s infl uence
on the Bosnian election.
During their meeting at Sochi, President Putin praised his
country’s relations with Bosnia as “good and successful”.
The two leaders took a stock of their countries’ bilateral
cooperation and were satisfi ed with the result that 75 per
cent of the total foreign trade of the Republika Srpska (RS or
Serb Republic) is with Russia. The main areas of economic
cooperation between the two countries are in industries
and oil refi ning. Apart from the economic aspect, the two
countries are becoming closer in political and social aspects
too. President Dodik has been vocal in defending Russia. In
a January report by the US Congress, Russia was accused
of ‘asymmetric arsenal in Serbia (which) is multifaceted
and very eff ective at maintaining public support for a strong
relationship with Moscow’.
Bosnia’s membership to the European Union (EU) and
the North Atlantic Treaty Organisation (NATO), is yet to be
formalized. One of the reasons for which Bosnia is not able
to join NATO is because of non-registration of its military
facilities as state property. Another reason is the refusal of
the RS to join the alliance. Regarding EU membership too,
the RS needs to undergo the accession process – which they
have not been able to because of internal problems as well
Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary Diplomatist • Vol 6 • Issue 10 • Oct-Nov 2018, Noida • 15