Schmidt stops billions of flows: Dodik's party under pressure!

Schmidt stops billions of flows: Dodik's party under pressure!

Banja Luka, Bosnien-Herzegowina - Christian Schmidt, the high representative of Bosnia-Herzegovina, imposed far-reaching financial sanctions against the SNSD on April 25, 2025 and its coalition partner. These measures include the immediate suspension of all state budget payments to Dodiks party in order to protect the central state institutions from Bosnia from the repeated attacks of the Republika Srpska. Kosmo reports that the SNSD received more than two million convertible marks (approx. 1.02 million euros) in 2023, which was two thirds of their Overall revenue. The United SRPSKA also benefits greatly from state funds, since it received 395,141 convertible marks (approx. 202,040 euros), which make up over 50% of its funds.

Schmidt, who has been in office since August 2021, has given a sharp answer to Dodik's political activities, which pursues a course of splitting up Republika Srpska from the rest of Bosnia. In January 2024, the monthly net monthly salary in Bosnia with 1,328 convertible marks (approx. 679 euros) was relatively low, which also tightens the political tensions. Dodik himself described the sanctions as illegitimate and denies Schmidt's authority.

political tensions and legal consequences

The measures come at a critical time, because the public prosecutor has issued arrest warrants against Dodik and other high -ranking representatives of the Republika Srpska. These arrest warrants relate to the endangerment of the constitutional order after the parliament of the RS has recently passed laws that deprive the central state authorities. In March of this year, attempts were made to have Dodik arrested by the SIA, which failed due to the resistance of its loyal police forces.

Another complicated element in this debate is the international dimension. While the EU supports the sanctions and advocates compliance with the constitutional order, Schmidt's approach by Russia is criticized as an inadmissible interference. Meanwhile, Austria and Germany have also imposed an entry ban against Dodik, which illustrates the international isolation of the politician.

The context of Bosnia-Herzegovina

Bosnia and Herzegovina is a country with decades of ethnic tensions and a complex political system that emerged from the 1995 Dayton peace agreement. The region is divided into two main titles: the Republika Srpska, which is mainly inhabited by Serbs, and the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina, which is dominated by Bosniaks and Croatians. This ethnic division leads to recurring political blockages and enables parties like the SNSD to remain strong, despite a large number of legal and political challenges.

Political uncertainty has also led to a continued high emigration rate, especially under the youth. While Bosnia submitted an EU accession in 2016 and received the status of an candidate in 2022, only a few reforms have been carried out since then, which further tightened the economic situation. In an environment in which corruption is widespread and ethnonationalist parties dominate the political landscape, hopes for a united and reformed Bosnia-Herzegovina seem to go away.