When Serbia is burning, and you are saving Dodik: Vučić, Republika Srpska, and dangerous rhetoric, why the personal has been turned into the national

By: Amina Čorbo-Zećo

The statement by Serbian President Aleksandar Vučić that "it is not about Milorad Dodik, but about the fate of Republika Srpska" opens several layers of political and rhetorical issues. Although it is not entirely clear how, with all the problems in Serbia, he finds time to think about Dodik, it is clear why he needs 'back up'.

At first glance, Vučić's statement seems like an appeal to preserve the entity in accordance with the Dayton Agreement. However, a deeper analysis shows how an individual legal case is being reshaped into a collective national narrative, which can have serious consequences for the political stability of Bosnia and Herzegovina and relations in the region.

Vučić himself admits that "among Serbs, everything is tied to personality," but at the same time, he is participating in that process. The verdict against Milorad Dodik is a consequence of his personal political and legal moves, primarily ignoring the decisions of the High Representative.

Translating this process into the realm of the "fate of RS" blurs the line between individual responsibility and the status of the entity. This dilutes political responsibility, and instead of critically confronting Dodik's moves, the public receives a narrative of national endangerment. And this is exactly what Vučić and Dodik are doing, hiding behind their sacred RS, while actually dragging it into a problem that it factually should not even concern. Because, surely, someone other than Dodik can lead the smaller BiH entity. Or, perhaps not? We will not have to wait long for the answer.

But when Vučić calls the verdict a "crime without precedent," he is not just expressing disagreement with the court's decision; he is delegitimizing the judicial institutions of Bosnia and Herzegovina.

Vučić has clearly learned that his wishes, at least when it comes to war crimes cases, are granted according to his desires, so the factual situation does not suit him now. Prosecutors are not so obedient, the court is increasingly stubborn...

And such language raises tensions, as it signals that the legal system is not recognized as neutral, but as an "occupational apparatus." This not only hinders the functioning of BiH institutions but also fosters an atmosphere where political and legal decisions are constantly subject to ethnic interpretation.

Vučić states that Serbia "will not interfere in the internal affairs of RS," but will "always be with Republika Srpska" and help "in every possible way." This formula has a dual function: towards the international community, it sends a signal of formal respect for Dayton, while to the domestic (Serbian) audience, it conveys strong support regardless of the specific circumstances. In practice, such an approach leaves room for political and economic involvement that can be perceived as indirect interference.

At a time when political tensions in BiH are high, and the international community is trying to maintain the status quo, equating the verdict against Dodik with an attack on RS can be dangerous fuel for more radical rhetoric and actions within the entity. This also reduces the space for internal dialogue within RS, as any critical voice towards Dodik is easily characterized as an "attack on RS."

Vučić's statement is politically skillfully crafted, but essentially contradictory; it calls for calm while simultaneously using maximally inflammatory phrases. It keeps Dodik in focus, even though it declaratively claims to remove him from it. The biggest problem is that an individual political fate is being turned into a collective identity issue, a formula that has proven dangerous and destabilizing in the Balkans multiple times.