Milorad Dodik

Milorad Dodik Милорад Додик
President of Republika Srpska
Incumbent
Assumed office 15 November 2010
Preceded by	Rajko Kuzmanović
Prime Minister of Republika Srpska
In office 28 February 2006 – 15 November 2010
Preceded by	Pero Bukejlović
Succeeded by	Anton Kasipovic (acting)
In office 18 January 1998 – 12 January 2001
Preceded by	Gojko Kličković
Succeeded by	Mladen Ivanić
Personal details
Born	March 12, 1959 (1959-03-12) (age 52) Laktaši, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Yugoslavia
Nationality	Serb
Political party	Alliance of Independent Social Democrats (Serbian: Савез независних социјалдемократа (СНСД) or Savez nezavisnih socijaldemokrata, SNSD)
Religion	Serbian Orthodox

Milorad Dodik (Serbian: Милорад Додик) (born March 12, 1959), is the President of Republika Srpska, and the president of the Alliance of Independent Social Democrats (SNSD) political party. He graduated from the Belgrade University of Political Sciences .^[1]

Political career

Dodik graduated from the Faculty of Political Science at the University of Belgrade. From 1986 through 1990 he was the President of the Executive Board of the Municipal Assembly (i.e. mayor) of Laktaši. In 1990, in the first multi-party elections in Bosnia and Herzegovina he was elected to the Parliament of the Socialist Republic of Bosnia and Herzegovina, as a candidate of the Union of Reform Forces. During the War in Bosnia, he served as a representative in the National Assembly of the Republika Srpska. During that time, he formed the Independent Members of Parliament Caucus (Клуб независних посланика у Народној Скупштини Републике Српске, Klub nezavisnih poslanika u Narodnoj Skupštini Republike Srpske), which was the only political opposition the Serb Democratic Party (Српска демократска странка, Srpska demokratska stranka), which held the absolute majority in the war-time parliament of the Republika Srpska.

The caucus he chaired was to form the core of the Party of Independent Social Democrats (Stranka nezavisnih socijaldemokrata, or SNSD) in 1996, after the peace was signed as a result of the Dayton Agreement. He was elected as the first President of SNSD. The party later united with another social-democratic party to form the Alliance of Independent Social Democrats, of which Milorad Dodik is President. In 1997, he was elected into the National Assembly of the Republika Srpska and then became the majority leader in national assembly.

During the years in opposition, he concentrated on the strengthening of his political party, which swept the elections in October 2006. During the election campaign, which he led under the slogan "Republic of Srpska, the better part of BiH", he opposed calls from the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina (namely from the Bosniak-dominated Party for Bosnia and Herzegovina (SBiH)) for the abolition of the Republika Srpska. In response to this, he said he would call for a referendum on the independence of Republika Srpska.

In 2007, Dodik was a guest on the Croatian talk show Nedjeljom u dva, in which he amongst other things discussed the return of Croatian refugees to Republika Srpska and the future status of a unified Bosnia and Herzegovina.^[2]

On 5 May 2008, Dodik and Serbian President Boris Tadić inaugurated the Park Republika Srpska in Belgrade.^[3]

On 1 June 2008, during a visit to Zagreb, Dodik stated that Operation Storm was an act of ethnic cleansing carried out against Serbs and regarded it the "greatest ethnic cleansing committed after World War II".^[4] Stjepan Mesić scrutinized Dodik for encouraging unsatisfied Serbs in Croatia to live in Republika Srpska while neglecting to invite Bosniak and Croat refugees.^[5] Ivo Banac, President of the Croatian Helsinki Committee, stated Croatia was defending itself at the time and criticized Dodik for causing provocations.^[6]

On 12 December 2008, Dodik stated that Muslim judges should not be allowed to preside over cases in Republika Srpska.^[1] Dodik elaborated that "it is unacceptable for the RS that Muslim judges try us and throw out complaints that are legally founded. And we think that it is only because they are Muslims, Bosniaks and that they have a negative orientation towards the RS, and we see the conspiracy that has been created."^[1] Dodik's comments were condemned and seen as "extremely chauvinistic" by international institutions, the United States Embassy in Sarajevo and other officials.^[1]

On 9 September 2009, Dodik and Boris Tadić, President of Serbia, opened a school in Pale with the name "Serbia".^[7] Bosniak and Croat members of the tripartite Presidency of Bosnia and Herzegovina were not consulted about Tadić's trip.^[7]

On 27 October 2009, Dodik provided an RS government jet to pick up Biljana Plavšić, former President of Republika Srpska convicted of war crimes, and welcomed her to Belgrade after her early release from a Swedish prison.^[8] Dodik cited "purely moral reasons" for doing so.^[9] Željko Komšić, Croat member of the tripartite Presidency of Bosnia and Herzegovina, cancelled a planned visit to Sweden in protest.^[8]

In November 2009, Dodik refused to hand over requested documents detailing the financing of a government building complex in Banja Luka worth 110 million euro and the construction of a highway to international prosecutors at the Court of Bosnia and Herzegovina.^[10] Dodik stated that the court had no jurisdiction over Republika Srpska and filed a lawsuit against Deputy High Representative Raffi Gregorian and international prosecutors.^[10] Dodik accused Gregorian of leading a plot against Republika Srpska and said a bias against Serbs existed among central-level prosecutors and judges.^[10]

On 10 November 2009, Dodik revealed that he seriously considered giving Biljana Plavšić an office in the Senate. He stated "we are working on revising the law on the President of the Republic, which would award Plavšić, and other former presidents, the opportunity to enjoy some privileges like the office, monetary compensation, counselor, secretary, official car with a driver and so forth."^[6] Mladen Bosić, leader of the Serbian Democratic Party, criticized Dodik.^[6]

On 19 January 2010, outgoing Croatian president Stjepan Mesić stated that if Dodik were to call an independence referendum for Republika Srpska he would send the Croatian military to intervene.^[11] On 21 January 2010, Dodik accused Stjepan Mesić of leading the wartime Croatian government "that ethnically cleansed that country of its ethnic Serb population" and that he helped "to promote the Ustaša program dating back to the Second World War” in Australia, and in Široki Brijeg in Bosnia and Herzegovina.^[12]

On 30 November 2010, leaked United States diplomatic cables revealed that Dodik supported the Ahtisaari plan for the independence of Kosovo.^[13] The cable was sent by Daniel Fried, a U.S. State Department official, in May 2007 and quoted Dodik as stating that "Kosovo's recognition would follow after such a decision (to adopt the plan) by the UN Security Council". Dodik denied the accusations and stated that Daniel Fried was a liar and a troublemaker.^[14]

In May 2011, Dodik planned to have a referendum held in June that he viewed would reflect on the rejection of Bosnian state institutions, including the war crimes court. The High Representative for Bosnia and Herzegovina, Valentin Inzko, warned that the referendum could potentially jeopardize the Dayton Agreement.^[15] However, shortly after tensions increased in regards to the proposed referendum, Republika Srpska decided to cancel the referendum, after Catherine Ashton, EU's High Representative of the Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy reassured Dodik in Banja Luka that EU will examine the complaints of RS on abuses in justice system of Bosnia and Herzegovina, and recommend the changes.^[16]

Controversy

Dodik, being from a Serb family, often becomes interrogated by journalists about his views on the Yugoslav wars, which occurred in the 1990s. On many occasions he has expressed opinions that differ from commonly established views, when emphasizing that Serbs also were victimized during the war, by Bosnian Muslim attacks. He also questions the validity of some common claims from the Bosniak side.

Opinions about the Tuzla massacre and Markale massacres

In 2009, Dodik stated that the Tuzla Massacre was staged and questioned the Markale massacres at Sarajevo. The Tuzla municipality filed charges against Dodik over these statements. The city of Sarajevo filed criminal charges against Dodik for abuse of power, and inciting ethnic, racial and religious hatred.^[17]

The Office of the High Representative said Dodik denied the war crimes committed and stated that "When such skewed facts come from an official in a position of high responsibility, an official who is obliged to uphold the Dayton Peace Accords and cooperate with the Hague Tribunal, then they are particularly irresponsible and undermine not only the institutions responsible for upholding the rule of law, but the credibility of the individual himself".^[18]

Opinions about the Srebrenica massacre

On 21 April 2010, the government of Dodik initiated a revision of the 2004 report saying that the numbers of killed were exaggerated and the report was manipulated by a former peace envoy.^[19] The Office of the High Representative responded and stated that: "The Republika Srpska government should reconsider its conclusions and align itself with the facts and legal requirements and act accordingly, rather than inflicting emotional distress on the survivors, torture history and denigrate the public image of the country".^[20]

On July 12, 2010, at the 15th anniversary of the Srebrenica Massacre, Dodik declared that he acknowledges the killings that happened on the site, but does not regard what happened at Srebrenica as genocide, differing from the conclusions of the ICTY and of the International Court of Justice. "If a genocide happened then it was committed against Serb people of this region where women, children and the elderly were killed en masse," Dodik said, in reference to eastern Bosnia.^[21]

In December 2010, Dodik condemned the Peace Implementation Council, an international community of 55 countries, for referring to the Srebrenica massacre as genocide.^[22] The council reaffirmed "genocide in Srebrenica, war crimes and crimes against humanity committed in the course of the conflict in Bosnia-Herzegovina must not be forgotten or denied."^[23]

References

1. ^ ^{a b c d} "Dodik’s statements stir new controversy". B92. 12 December 2008. http://www.b92.net/eng/news/region-article.php?yyyy=2008&mm=12&dd=12&nav_id=55686. 
2. ^ http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aZWCJsR2tMI&feature=related
3. ^ "Tadic, Dodik inaugurate Republika Srpska Park in Belgrade". Southeast European Times. 6 May 2008. http://www.setimes.com/cocoon/setimes/xhtml/en_GB/newsbriefs/setimes/newsbriefs/2008/05/06/nb-07. 
4. ^ Horvat, Karmen (1 June 2008). "Croatia Was Created On Greatest Ethnic Cleansing". Dalje. http://dalje.com/en-croatia/croatia-was-created-on-greatest-ethnic-cleansing/152795. 
5. ^ Horvat, Karmen (1 June 2008). "President Mesic to Dodik: You Are Rude". Dalje. http://dalje.com/en-croatia/president-mesic-to-dodik--you-are-rude/152852. 
6. ^ ^{a b c} Stedul, Joseph (10 June 2008). "Committee President: PM Dodik in Zagreb to Provoke". Dalje. http://dalje.com/en-croatia/committee-president--pm-dodik-in-zagreb-to-provoke/154973. 
7. ^ ^{a b} "With Pale School Opening, Serb Leader Sends Message To Bosnia". Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty. 9 September 2009. http://www.rferl.org/content/With_Pale_School_Opening_Serb_Leader_Sends_Message_To_Bosnia/1819045.html. 
8. ^ ^{a b} Barlovac, Bojana (28 October 2009). "Dodik Says Had Moral Reasons to Welcome Plavsic". Balkan Insight. http://www.balkaninsight.com/en/article/dodik-says-had-moral-reasons-to-welcome-plavsic. 
9. ^ "Dodik speaks about welcoming Plavšić". B92. 28 October 2009. http://www.b92.net/eng/news/politics-article.php?yyyy=2009&mm=10&dd=28&nav_id=62644. 
10. ^ ^{a b c} Ajder, Miroslav (17 March 2009). "Corruption Claims Hold Back Bosnia". Bloomberg Businessweek. http://www.businessweek.com/globalbiz/content/mar2009/gb20090317_535188.htm. 
11. ^ "Exiting Croat leader says he’d attack Bosnian Serbs". B92. 19 January 2010. http://www.b92.net/eng/news/region-article.php?yyyy=2010&mm=01&dd=19&nav_id=64600. 
12. ^ "Dodik levels grave accusations at Mesić". B92. 21 January 2010. http://www.b92.net/eng/news/region-article.php?yyyy=2010&mm=01&dd=21&nav_id=64658. 
13. ^ "Bosnian Serb Leader 'Supported Ahtisaari Plan'". Balkan Insight. 30 November 2010. http://www.balkaninsight.com/en/article/bosnian-serb-leader-supported-ahtrisaari-plan. 
14. ^ "Dodik: U.S. diplomat "liar, troublemaker"". B92. 30 November 2010. http://www.b92.net/eng/news/region-article.php?yyyy=2010&mm=11&dd=30&nav_id=71226. 
15. ^ http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20110505/ap_on_re_eu/eu_bosnia_ultimatum
16. ^ "Bosnia tension eases as Serbs cancel referendum". BBC News. 13 May 2011. http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-13389051. 
17. ^ "Sarajevo files charges against RS's Dodik". Southeast European Times. 7 October 2009. http://www.setimes.com/cocoon/setimes/xhtml/en_GB/features/setimes/newsbriefs/2009/10/07/nb-06. 
18. ^ "OHR slams Dodik statements". B92. 16 September 2009. http://www6.b92.net/eng/news/region-article.php?yyyy=2009&mm=09&dd=16&nav_id=61796. 
19. ^ "Envoy slams Bosnia Serbs for questioning Srebrenica". Reuters. 21 April 2010. http://www.reuters.com/article/idUSLDE63K0E2. Retrieved 21 April 2010. 
20. ^ "RS Government Special Session A Distasteful Attempt to Question Genocide". OHR. 21 April 2010. http://www.ohr.int/ohr-dept/presso/pressr/default.asp?content_id=44835. Retrieved 21 April 2010. 
21. ^ Srebrenica massacre 'not genocide', The Sydney Morning Herald/Agence France Presse, July 13, 2010
22. ^ Arslanagic, Sabina (3 December 2010). "Dodik Again Denies Srebrenica Genocide". Balkan Insight. http://www.balkaninsight.com/en/article/dodik-slams-international-community-for-referring-to-srebrenica-massacre-as-genocide. 
23. ^ "Peace Implementation Council Steering Board Communiqué". Office of the High Representative. 1 December 2010. http://www.ohr.int/pic/default.asp?content_id=45573. 

External links

• Official biography
• SNSD Official Website

Persondata
Name	Dodik, Milorad
Alternative names
Short description
Date of birth	1959-03-12
Place of birth	Laktaši, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Yugoslavia
Date of death
Place of death