The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Bosnia and Herzegovina (BiH) has formally protested to Hungary regarding the statements made by Hungarian Foreign Minister Péter Szijjártó during the official reception of Milorad Dodik, whom he referred to as the “President of Republika Srpska (RS)”.
The protest, issued on September 5, follows a reception held in Budapest on September 4, where Szijjártó called Dodik “President”, asserting that “Hungary respects the will of the voters” and that Brussels or others should not dictate the future of RS.
Background: Dodik’s Legal and Political Status
The Court of BiH had legally stripped Dodik of his RS presidency for failing to comply with the High Representative’s decisions. Consequently, the Central Election Commission scheduled early elections for November 23, 2025, while the RS Assembly announced a referendum on non-recognition of state-level decisions, despite the Constitutional Court ruling that entities cannot hold such referendums.
In its protest note, BiH’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs expressed serious concern:
“During his public appearance in Budapest, in the presence of Minister Szijjártó, Milorad Dodik advocated secession and threatened the territorial integrity of BiH, without the expected reaction from Minister Szijjártó.”
The note adds that these actions violate diplomatic norms, disregard BiH institutional decisions, insult BiH citizens, and contribute to an atmosphere of distrust regarding Hungary’s political intentions.
Hungary’s Relationship with Dodik
Hungarian authorities maintain close ties with Dodik. Official Budapest has previously blocked EU attempts to sanction him. In April 2024, Dodik even awarded Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán a state decoration in Banja Luka.
A month ago, Dodik visited Budapest and met with Orbán after the court ruling but before his mandate was officially revoked, during which Orbán publicly stated that he “does not recognize” the BiH Court decision.
Financial Ties
According to BiH Ministry of Finance data, Republika Srpska borrowed €215.5 million from Hungary’s EXIM Bank in 2022. By April 2025, the entity still owed approximately €112 million to the Hungarian bank.
