The presence of Milorad Dodik at an official Serbian state event has raised questions and criticism, given that he holds no formal position in Bosnia and Herzegovina or in Republika Srpska. Dodik spoke at a ceremony marking the anniversary of NATO’s intervention in the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia in Vranje, alongside the Patriarch and the President of Serbia, even though the official Serbian Prime Minister and the President of the RS Assembly, Nenad Stevandić, were also present.
Political analyst Tanja Topić from Banja Luka told Danas that Dodik’s public role in such events is unsurprising within Republika Srpska. “He continues to behave as if he were the entity’s president, using all the resources available to the office—meeting foreign leaders, traveling, and exercising authority over matters beyond his remit. His presence on Serbia’s official stage reflects a disregard for the institutions of Bosnia and Herzegovina, especially the judiciary,” she said. Topić added that this behavior has become normalized, accepted, and tolerated, despite undermining the rule of law.
Sead Numanović, editor of politički.ba, highlighted the irregularity: “Legally, Dodik is a private citizen, yet he not only attended the anniversary but also delivered a speech. Even the greatest enemy of Serbia would likely not have devised such an affront to the victims—this scenario is consistent only with the current regime of Aleksandar Vučić.”
Miloš Parandilović, leader of the political movement Novo Lice Srbije, criticized Dodik and Vučić for what he described as exploiting nationalism for personal gain. “Dodik and Vučić have placed Serbs in their worst position ever across the region. While ordinary people suffer, both grow richer. They portray themselves as statesmen to domestic audiences but lack respect internationally, selling off Serbian interests while maintaining a veneer of nationalism,” Parandilović said.
He argued that the Serbian people need to undergo a process of decommunization and democratization after the eventual removal of the SNS and SNSD regimes, warning that until then, political actors like Dodik and Vučić continue to exploit divisions across the Drina River. Parandilović concluded: “Since its founding, Novo Lice Srbije has worked to change the system entirely and remove former cadres who are products of the Communist legacy, like Vučić and Dodik.”
