Borenovic for Patria: What were Dodik's lobbyists doing?

'Most important thing right now is to leave Republika Srpska out of any possible complications, Branislav Borenovic, president of PDP (Party of Democratic Progress) said, commenting on sanctions imposed on Milorad Dodik, President of RS.

The US State Department confirmed on Tuesday that the US Government imposed sanctions on Milorad Dodik. The sanctions imposed by the Office of Foreign Asset Control, part of the U.S. Department of the Treasury, enable U.S. authorities to block access by Dodik to any of his property or assets that are under U.S. jurisdiction. They also entail travel ban to the US as well as any other country that may decide to impose such sanctions.

- This is a decision of the most powerful country, which may have longstanding repercussions. Most important thing is not to involve the RS into this. We are asking Dodik not to complicate the situation for Republika Srpska, Borenovic said to Patria.

He also added that 'some may grieve, others may celebrate or be indifferent, but the current situation is our reality'. Borenovic said that sanctions are imposed by a powerful country, not only on Dodik as a citizen but also as a president of the RS.

- Dodik will soon show how much he loves Republika Srpska that is, if he will continue to fight for it and pull us into the battle that will be lost in the long run, or if he will find a way to withdraw and allow Republika Srpska to function normally, Borenovic said.

Borenovic emphasized the issue of money which Dodik's government spent over the past 6 years on various international lobbyists.

- We are talking about some 30 million KM. What have those people done and achieved, if anything? That is a huge amount of money obviously spent on something else, Borenovic said.

Commenting on Dodik's press conference in Banja Luka where he criticized the US Ambassador, Maureen Cormack, Borenovic said that Dodik expressed his personal views 'which are certainly not the views of Republika Srpska'.