Arms Procurement in RS: Dodik Exploited the European Union's Indecisiveness

SARAJEVO, (Patria) - The procurement of 2,500 weapons for the needs of the Republika Srpska police has drawn significant attention from the domestic public, as well as certain representatives of the international community.

The OHR, OSCE, and the US Embassy have clearly stated that the procurement of weapons in an already unstable political situation in BiH is not the best solution.

-This is a completely legitimate action and we have nothing to hide. For twenty years we did not have the right to equip the police, now we have decided to do it – said entity President Milorad Dodik.

The arms procurement was also covered by leading world media such as the American New York Times and the British The Guardian, which warned that Dodik's regime in RS, with support from Russia, could use the weapons to stay in power, and in the worst case, to incite inter-ethnic conflict in BiH with the aim of seceding RS from BiH.

For years, numerous political analysts have warned EU representatives to help BiH on its European path and accelerate its EU accession in order to prevent Russian influence in the region.

However, contrary to announcements, the EU set the same conditions for BiH's accession as for Serbia, while Serbia, throughout that time, through its man in BiH, Milorad Dodik, blocked BiH's European path, even though the EU was well aware that BiH, with its specific internal structure, was unable to keep pace with Serbia and other neighboring countries on the European path.

Warnings that such a situation could be exploited by Russia to establish itself as a serious factor in BiH were not taken seriously enough, and it seems they are not being taken seriously even today, when it is clear to everyone that Russia has become an unavoidable international player in this region.

Even after Dodik announced the arms procurement, no clear and unequivocal condemnation of such an act came from the EU.

Dodik justifies the arms purchase by the fact that he received approval from all relevant state institutions, but that approval provides no guarantee that the weapons will not be used for purposes for which they are not intended.

After all, war crimes in the last war in BiH were mostly committed with legally purchased weapons.

Therefore, the fact that Dodik procured the weapons with permission from state institutions is no guarantee that he will not use them to destroy those same institutions.

Then it will be too late for any warnings and condemnations through statements.