Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán has condemned what he calls a political witch hunt against Milorad Dodik, the leader of Republika Srpska, after a Bosnian court sentenced him to a year in prison and banned him from holding office for six years. Orbán, a longtime ally of Dodik, warned that targeting a democratically elected leader would only destabilize the Western Balkans.
Dodik’s conviction stems from defying an international peace envoy and blocking rulings from Bosnia and Herzegovina’s constitutional court. In response, he has threatened to push for Republika Srpska’s independence, expel Bosnia’s judiciary from its territory, and withdraw Serbian representatives from federal institutions. Dodik claims the charges are politically motivated, arguing that Bosnia’s federal system is no longer functional.
Orbán has repeatedly shielded Dodik from EU sanctions, despite the U.S. and U.K. already penalizing him for alleged separatist actions. In 2023, Hungary took over infrastructure projects in Republika Srpska that Germany had abandoned due to Dodik’s secessionist agenda.
Both Orbán and Russian President Vladimir Putin have received Republika Srpska’s highest honor—Putin in 2023, Orbán in 2024. In his acceptance speech, Orbán reiterated his support for Serbs, stating that Western policies toward them have been deeply unjust. Some analysts now argue that Orbán’s influence in the Balkans poses a bigger threat than Putin’s.
