Safet Kešo, a member of the Foreign Affairs Committee of the House of Representatives of Bosnia and Herzegovina, told Fena on Wednesday that Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov’s recent meeting with Dodik in Moscow reflected Russia’s ongoing support for him despite his lack of formal government position.
“Russia has invested enormous effort and, I would say, considerable funds in Milorad Dodik to serve as their operative in Bosnia and Herzegovina,” Kešo said. He described Dodik as executing policies “destructive to the essence of Bosnia and Herzegovina.”
Kešo also addressed Lavrov’s warning that Russia could raise “unpleasant questions” at the UN Security Council when Bosnia comes up on its agenda on Oct. 31, saying such statements reflect Moscow’s longstanding posture toward the internationally recognized state.
“There is nothing new Russia could threaten Bosnia with that it hasn’t already. Any comparison between Bosnia’s Republika Srpska entity and Kosovo is misplaced,” he said.
Separately, Russian Security Council Secretary Sergei Shoigu, meeting Dodik in Moscow, expressed support for measures taken by Republika Srpska to stabilize the situation in Bosnia, according to the Bosnian Serb news agency Srna. Dodik described the situation as under control and criticised Western influence in the Balkans.
Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov condemned what he called attempts to fabricate criminal charges to remove Dodik from office, describing him as “uncomfortable for the West but a friend of Russia,” following a meeting with the Bosnian Serb leader on Tuesday.
Lavrov accused the West, through the self-styled High Representative Christian Schmidt, of orchestrating a coup in Bosnia and Herzegovina, and announced that Russia will raise the issue at a UN Security Council session on Oct. 31.
Dodik also reportedly requested Russian support in closing the office of the Office of the High Representative (OHR) in Bosnia.