Stop the state funds: Schmidt intervenes hard against Dodik and RS!

Stop the state funds: Schmidt intervenes hard against Dodik and RS!

On April 25, 2025, it was announced that the payments of state funds to the SNSD (Serbian Democratic Party) and the United SRPSKA were stopped. This decision by the high representative of Bosnia-Herzegovina, Christian Schmidt, was announced on Thursday in Sarajevo. This measure aims to counteract separatist efforts in the Serbian part of Bosnia-Herzegovina that have increased recently.

In 2024, the SNSD received over two million convertible Mark (approx. One million euros) from the state budget, while the United SRPSKA received 395,141 convertible Mark (approx. 202,000 euros). The background: The average content in Bosnia in January 2024 was 1,328 convertible marks (679 euros). These financial resources are therefore considerable support for the separatist views of Milorad Dodik, the President of the Republica Srpska, who does not recognize Schmidt's legitimacy.

Legal conflicts and security situation

Dodik currently affects legal problems, because against him, the Prime Minister of Republika Srpska Radovan Višković and Parliament President Nenad Stevandić, arrest warrants were issued in March due to attacks on the constitutional order of Bosnia-Herzegovinas. These political tensions continued to escalate when Dodik's attempt to arrest due to the overall state police unit Sipa failed on Wednesday evening, since loyal RS police officers resisted.

In addition, the security situation in Bosnia and Herzegovina is extremely tense. Milorad Dodik is not only sentenced to split off the overall state because of its separatist laws that aim to split the Republika Srpska from the overall state, but also for his denial of the genocide of Srebrenica. This event, in which more than 8,000 Muslims were murdered in 1995, has left deep wounds in the region to this day.

International reactions and future developments

The international reactions to Dodik's actions are worrying. US Secretary of State Marco Rubio described Dodik's plans as a threat to the security and stability of Bosnia-Herzegovinas. Balkan expert Vedran Dzihic argued that Dodik rely on the wrong support from the new US government, which had proven to be a misjudgment. In response to the increasing tensions, the EU militaries Eufor announced a “temporary reinforcement” of its strength, currently around 1,500 soldiers from 24 countries, including up to 50 Germans.

In addition, NATO plans that its Secretary General Mark Rutte travels to Sarajevo. The EU delegation called for a de-escalation of the situation. In the middle of this unstable location, the Srebrenica Memorial Center remains closed until further notice, while an international day of commemoration was scheduled for Srebrenica's genocide in 2024. In the course of these events, the Memorial Center from the government called for the security of all citizens, starting in Srebrenica.