American media are intensifying their investigation into the lobbyist network of Milorad Dodik and the government of Republika Srpska, including multi-million amounts allocated for lobbying, ties to people close to U.S. President Donald Trump, and possible conflicts of interest.
At the same time, Max Primorac of the conservative Heritage Foundation argues in an article for The Daily Signal that the Trump administration ended an era of international interventionism in Bosnia and Herzegovina.
Washington correspondent Ivica Puljić discussed these topics for Dnevnik 2 of the Federalna TV.
American Media Investigate Dodik’s Lobbyists and Their Ties to Trump’s Circle
Puljić emphasized that American media investigations are increasingly focused on lobbying activities linked to Milorad Dodik, as well as on individuals in the U.S. president’s inner circle.
“What is new is that Susie Wiles, who is involved in the entire lobbying story of Republika Srpska, might come under scrutiny regarding whether she will keep her job. In the White House, many say there is no question about that, that she is a person of utmost trust to President Trump. On the other hand, some say something is happening,” Puljić said.
According to him, American journalists are now in detail examining the circumstances and connections of individuals involved in lobbying activities.
“Previously, it was superficial; you receive information and then stop. Now, they are diving deeper, investigating the background of all these developments,” he stated.
Puljić particularly singled out the Southern Gas Interconnection as a topic which, as he said, is starting to attract the attention of the American media.
“Another topic has started opening up – the Southern Gas Interconnection, where people who say they wick finance it, people who were in Banja Luka, are very close to Trump’s circle and to the people lobbying for Milorad Dodik,” he said.
Puljić on Max Primorac: You Cannot Use Lies to Support Your Views
Commenting on Max Primorac’s article published on The Daily Signal, which claims that the Trump administration enabled the first free elections in Bosnia and Herzegovina after 25 years, Puljić sharply criticized his views.
“Max Primorac is a man of bad intentions. I met him once and talked to him. I told him: ‘You have a right to your views, but you cannot use lies to support your views,” he said.
He reflected on Primorac’s claim that the Trump administration does not interfere in the internal affairs of other countries.
“He is a complete Trumpist. He talks about how the Trump administration does not interfere in other countries, which is, of course, a completely absurd lie. He also said that the Trump administration is responsible for the first free elections in Bosnia and Herzegovina in 25 years, which is nonsense,” Puljić said.
“He causes most harm to Croats in Bosnia and Herzegovina”
Puljić warned about Primorac’s claims about the role of the international community in the national identity of the citizens of Bosnia and Herzegovina, rejecting claims that international representatives seek to impose a single national designation.
“He said that the international community is making Bosnia and Herzegovina to be just one nationality, as he puts it, Bosnian Muslims. This is also nonsense. How is the international community forcing all of us to identify as Bosnians or anything else? That is simply not true,” he said.
According to Puljić’s assessment, Primorac’s statements could have negative consequences precisely for the community he claims to represent.
“These are people who don’t know Bosnia and Herzegovina, yet they write about it. Their actions harm Bosnian-Herzegovinian Croats the most. I wish people like Mr. Primorac would not do what they are doing, because in the end, they will cause the greatest harm to Croats in Bosnia and Herzegovina,” Puljić concluded.
