Russian "Kommersant": Dodik is dragging Serbia and Russia into conflicts

The referendum in Republika Srpska threatens to provoke stronger confrontations between the international community and the President of RS Milorad Dodik, and Serbia and Russia could also be drawn into these confrontations, assesses the Russian "Kommersant", reports the BiH news agency Patria.

Dodik himself has strengthened these fears by calling RS a state after the referendum results were announced, and not ruling out the possibility of voting on its independence, the newspaper writes.

All of this leads to an escalation of conflicts between the leader of RS and the international community, which now needs to react to the referendum held despite the ban by the Constitutional Court of BiH, the newspaper states.

According to Kommersant's diplomatic sources in Bosnia, the international community has found itself in a difficult situation.

- It cannot ignore the referendum, which is a slap in the face for it, but punishing RS strongly would only increase tensions in the region.

Therefore, the most realistic outcome is the isolation of Dodik and support for his opponents in RS, who are less radical.

In the event of the realization of such a plan, Serbia and Russia, on whose support Dodik counts, could also be drawn into the conflict between the international community and the President of RS.

Kommersant reminds that Serbian Prime Minister Aleksandar Vučić made it clear that Belgrade does not support holding the referendum, although it has no intention of interfering in the decisions of its compatriots from BiH.

Moscow has also shied away from unconditional support for Dodik, writes "Kommersant", stating that after last week's meeting with the President of Russia, Dodik said that it was stated during the conversation that the referendum is the right of the people.

The Kremlin confined itself to a brief statement about the meeting, which does not mention the referendum or support, "Kommersant" states.

This, the newspaper states, could mean that Moscow, following Belgrade, has prioritized not openly interfering in disputes over the referendum and its consequences.

"Because supporting the leader of RS would mean not only a new reason for arguments with the West, but also taking a more pronounced pro-Serbian stance than Serbia itself, which Russia considers its main partner in the Balkans," the newspaper concludes.