Bosnian Serb leader Milorad Dodik has on Friday asked the President of neighboring Serbia for more economic aid for Republika Srpska (RS), the Serb-dominated part of Bosnia.

A press release from the cabinet of Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic said that he and the President of Bosnia's semi-autonomous RS entity, Milorad Dodik, had agreed that Serbia will promote its economic cooperation with the RS.

It said the two discussed the promotion of overall relations, as well as the situation in the region and joint infrastructure projects, saying such projects were essential for the establishment of connections between Serbia and the RS, as well as for the development of the entire region.

Dodik praised the relations between Serbia and the Bosnian Serbs as “never having been better,” and said that Republika Srpska is one of Serbia’s “national priorities”, adding that both Bosnia and Herzegovina and the West have to “learn that lesson”.

Dodik has been advocating the secession of Republika Srpska from Bosnia and its annexation to Serbia for years. He is running for the Bosnian state Presidency in October.