Why OSA is to Blame for Everything: Dodik's Retreat to Entity Positions

By Sead Omeragić

Milorad Dodik has once again said something about the Bosnian language. Is there anyone to translate his statements? The denial of the Bosnian language, which he uttered once a month, has turned into a mandatory weekly statement. As things stand, the Bosnian language will be served to his voters three times a day as medicine.

Dodik, unfortunately, denies the state of Bosnia and Herzegovina, so the Bosnian language is just part of the same transparent story. As he speaks against Bosnia, against the Bosnian language, so he speaks against the institutions of Bosnia and Herzegovina.

It is almost common to abandon sessions of the Parliamentary Assembly if something is not to the liking of SNSD MPs or if their will is not realized. Most of what Dodik says is aimed at appealing to the more radical elements within his own people. This type of political exhibitionism is evident. Every statement by Dodik is, however, for internal, entity use. Namely, things in the entity are not going well at all. The bankruptcy of Republika Srpska would have happened long ago if money had not been transferred from state funds for the financial stabilization of Republika Srpska.

Dodik has turned against OSA. He declares it an enemy of the state. Dragan Čović has also turned against OSA. There is a substitution of theses. OSA did its job and documented their actions. OSA documented Čović's advisor and a family member as participants in a classic kidnapping.

Although Dodik for the referendum and the collapse of three banks, and Čović's advisor for kidnapping were acquitted of charges for illegal and unconstitutional actions, they received an alibi through questionable court decisions to continue their attacks on BiH institutions, including OSA.

Dodik has denied the work and decisions of the Constitutional Court of BiH before. For years, he has been shouting against the Court and the Prosecutor's Office of BiH. He does not behave like a man of the system. He and his party SNSD gained legality in the elections to act within state institutions.

But he and his people behave like desperados, those who would break everything over their knee, without respecting the laws or the Constitution of BiH.

Thus, we have seen SNSD members flee all parliamentary committees after Špirić was removed from the position of chairman of the Committee for Oversight of OSA's Work. Of course, these committees will be filled with Serb representatives without problems.

What could be Dodik's ultimate goal? His attacks on BiH institutions are the only accreditation he shows in Republika Srpska. Everything he does against BiH, he wants to collect from voters in the entity. When SDS cadres take SNSD positions in the BiH Parliament, he will accuse them of betraying the national interest. What did his cadres do for more than two years in those positions?

The state institutions are obliged to defend the general interest, the one that concerns the good of all citizens of Bosnia and Herzegovina, not just privileged individuals like Čović, Dodik, and the like.

By abandoning important functions in parliamentary activities, Dodik is left without any levers of power he has had so far. By leaving these functions in the BiH Parliament, his verbal outbursts become futile and quieter.

He is currently in a situation where he must retreat to the only remaining positions in Republika Srpska. That is why his promises of a new referendum have begun. But it is obvious that he is losing some essential battles in the entity. Republika Srpska is in a desperate financial and developmental state, indebted to the extreme. Dodik, who constantly spoke of dividing BiH, is responsible for any investments, although security is the basis of investment. The loan installment this year amounts to 800 million KM, and 750 million KM must be paid directly from the budget. Far worse than arrogant verbal outbursts is arrogant economic waste and general decay.