Der Standard: Will the Vienna Prosecutor's Office summon Dodik?

SARAJEVO, (Patria) - The Austrian newspaper Der Standard states that it is in possession of an official letter from the Vienna Public Prosecutor's Office regarding an anonymous letter from February 2020 sent to the State Office of Criminal Police in Carinthia, which mentions connections between BiH Presidency member Milorad Dodik and Austrian politician Christian Strache (FPÖ). This Austrian politician was linked to the "Casinos Austria" affair in that country. The company of the same name secured a contract in Republika Srpska.

"In no EU country does Dodik have as many supporters as in Austria."

Der Standard states that Dodik sees the Kremlin as his closest ally and justifies the war against Ukraine, and that, "while the US and Great Britain are sanctioning Dodik, fearing that the Kremlin might open a second front in the Balkans, the European Union has reacted indecisively."

"Germany wants sanctions against Dodik, but Hungary blocked them in the EU Council, and the Austrian Ministry of Foreign Affairs has also aggressively campaigned against sanctions on Dodik," adds author Adelheid Wölfl.

It states that Dodik has visited Austria several times, and that former Salzburg Governor Franz Schausberger (ÖVP) showed understanding for Dodik's policy in newspaper commentaries.

"Former FPÖ leader Heinz-Christian Strache and his fellow FPÖ politician Johann Gudenus have been courting anti-Muslim extremists in Banja Luka for years," she writes.

"Tender for Casinos Austria"

Strache was allegedly linked to an affair involving the company "Casinos Austria," which won a public tender in Republika Srpska in 2019. It is stated that in March of that year, a new law on gambling was passed under an expedited procedure, which stipulated that the company Lutrija RS (Lottery of Republika Srpska) would have the exclusive right to organize electronic games of chance.

Der Standard states that it was also determined at the time that Lutrija RS could commission a partner for conducting electronic gambling.

"Casinos Austria Video Lottery Terminals (VLT) AG was chosen as the winner in October," the newspaper states, claiming that "the tender was tailored to the company."

"In Bosnia and Herzegovina, where the rule of law is undermined by political and private interests, the case has not been investigated," writes Wolfl.

Der Standard states that it is in possession of an official letter from the Vienna Public Prosecutor's Office regarding an anonymous letter from February 2020 sent to the State Office of Criminal Police in Carinthia, and that the letter states that Dodik "knows much more" about Strache's actions.

Complaint against Zora Vidović

The Special Department for Combating Corruption, Organized and the Most Serious Forms of Economic Crime of the Republican Public Prosecutor's Office of Republika Srpska has recently been reviewing the allegations of a criminal complaint against the Minister of Finance Zora Vidović and the owner of the company "Grand trade" Mile Radišić.

"The Minister of Finance Zora Vidović exceeded her legal authority and directly influenced the process of selecting the best bidder, the formation of a joint venture between Lutrija Republike Srpske and 'Casinos Austria VLT AG' Switzerland, as well as all further actions taken for the purpose of the company's operations and the acquisition of financial benefits. Mile Radišić, former director of Lutrija Srpske, the mastermind behind the attempt to privatize Lutrija without a real, legal privatization, and for the exclusive benefit of those against whom this criminal complaint is filed. Through their joint criminal actions, Lutrija has been brought to the brink of collapse, while the aforementioned individuals have extracted and continue to extract financial benefits," the complaint states.

According to Capital.ba, the complaint specifically states that the first step was the adoption of the new Law on Games of Chance under an expedited procedure and the creation of a joint monopolistic company for organizing electronic games of chance, thereby creating a monopoly over other private gambling operators.