Bosnia’s Foreign Ministry sent a protest note to the Montenegrin authorities because their Assembly Speaker Andrija Mandic received the president of Bosnia’s Republika Srpska (RS) entity in the official premises, without highlighting the features of BiH, but of this entity. This was confirmed for Radio Free Europe by the cabinet of Minister Elmedin Konakovic.

The Ministry pointed out that the protest note was sent to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Montenegro because of the messages at the official meeting between Dodik and Mandic on February 27.

During his official visit to Podgorica, Dodik said that the “Serbian world” is a phenomenal idea.

The term “Serbian world” refers to the ideology of uniting all Serbs wherever they live. It was created on the model of the “Russian world,” which served to spread culture outside of Russia, everywhere where the Russian language is spoken. The alleged author of this idea is the former Minister of Defense of Serbia, Aleksandar Vulin, with whom Dodik has close ties.

Mandic said that it was a great honour for him to host Dodik.

Dodik, who is under US and UK sanctions due to his secessionist claims, went to Montenegro after meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin on February 21, the fourth time since the beginning of the invasion of Ukraine.

Because of Dodik's visit, several hundred citizens protested in front of the Assembly with the message “We must say NO to Mandic and Dodik! Montenegro is eternal. BiH is eternal”.

They unfurled the flag of Bosnia and Herzegovina, and a banner that said “Putin's followers are not welcome.”

As one of the leaders of the pro-Russian Democratic Front, Mandic won power in the 2020 elections with two other parties, replacing the DPS government, headed by Milo Djukanovic.