The National Assembly of the Republika Srpska (NARS) will consider Milorad Dodik’s veto on the decision to grant an agrement to the German ambassador Thomas Fitschen in Bosnia and Herzegovina (BiH). A calculated move by Dodik, with which he wins on two fronts, writes Deutsche Welle.
The request of Milorad Dodik, a member of the Presidency of BiH, to veto the decision to appoint Thomas Fitschen, the German ambassador to BiH, has reached the entity parliament.
A few days ago, the Presidency adopted a decision on granting agrements without consensus, which Dodik labeled harmful to the vital national interest of the RS. As he says, Dodik is convinced that the debate will show “who understands the trends and who accepts subservience to the Germans and the West”.
”It would be good if the RS would make a decision like I propose, because it will show that we are still a factor in our lives here and bring that great country called Germany into a position to talk with us. Don’t talk about us, but with us,” said Dodik.
Some diplomats have previously warned that rejecting the agreement with Germany could harm everyone in BiH, especially Milorad Dodik. The former ambassador of BiH, a diplomat with great experience, Slobodan Soja, warned earlier that it was a “crazy move”. For the last one, which refers to the consideration of this issue in the assembly, Soja says that “it is important to remain consistent, even in madness and absurdity”, which Dodik is doing.
This is certainly the pre-election game, but the question is what consequences this campaign will have for BiH. Soja told that blessing in disguise is that no one in the world has the perception that BiH is a serious country, which will be a mitigating circumstance.
”If it were about another country, Germany would surely respond fiercely, but since it is BiH, only subtle moves are expected.
The government will present the move to protect the national interest and the convening of a special session of the NARS as the basic interest of the RS. At the same time, the opposition will be branded as traitors, because they will not support this proposal by Dodik.
Velizar Antic, the analyst, believes that Dodik’s goal is to use the session in the pre-election campaign, in order to maintain power. But he is also convinced that the opposition will not support Dodik’s proposal.
This was already confirmed by the opposition, which Dodik characterized as a betrayal of the RS. Precisely in this context, Dodik’s move could be his political gain on two sides, which analysts believe was planned from the beginning. On the one hand, the protection of national identity and “defense against Germany”, and on the other, the presentation of the opposition as traitors. And thirdly, perhaps most importantly, the German ambassador will receive an agreement, after the NARS does not adopt a veto.
