The decision by the Bosnian Serb entity of Republika Srpska to award a medal to Russian President Vladimir Putin deserves condemnation, Croatian Foreign Minister Gordan Grlic-Radman said on Tuesday.

The minister said that this move by the Bosnian Serb leader Milorad Dodik was an act of politicking.

On 9 January, when the entity marked its day, although the holiday was declared unconstitutional by the judiciary in Bosnia and Herzegovina, Dodik also decorated Russian President Vladimir Putin.

Dodik’s decision to award a medal to Russian President Vladimir Putin was deplored by the USA, the EU and local politicians in Bosnia and Herzegovina. Dodik said that Putin deserved this decoration due to his contribution to the cooperation between Russia and the Serb entity.

During today’s news conference, Croatia’s minister said that this move was met with condemnation, recalling that the medal was given to Putin at the time “when Russia’s invasion of Ukraine is being condemned by the whole world.”

“I do not know why Mr. Dodik has done this. He often resorts to such rhetoric, he keeps threatening, however this has not constituted a threat to peace,” said Grlic-Radman, adding that the EU and NATO have tools to repel any threat.

Grlic-Radman said that Dodik is inclined to politicking and to playing games so that the world could be occupied with what he has said and with analysing his rhetoric for days.