It is best for Bosnia and Herzegovina to remain neutral, that is, to establish a position where it will not side with either side when it comes to the situation between Russia and Ukraine, BiH Presidency member Milorad Dodik said Wednesday.

He pointed out that “their policy of exclusion from NATO structures proved to be correct because now, if we were part of NATO, and if the conflict broke out in Ukraine, we would have to take part,” which, he said, “would not be right and good for anyone in BiH.”

the Serb Presidency member noted that their decisions were strategic.

“I can’t allow a decision that would jeopardize our relations with Russia. We believe that a policy of peace and stability should be ensured. There is a lot of misinformation and contradiction which serve a propaganda purpose. And we don't know a lot of things here about how things are happening there,” said Dodik.

“As for my position, I think we should avoid unnecessary comments about whether someone is right or not, it is absolutely most useful for us to remain neutral.”

He added that it is unacceptable for him that Bosnia should join any package of sanctions for Russia.

“It is unacceptable for us to join any package of sanctions that anyone is proposing for Russia, and we will not give that. Simply because we believe that it is not useful for Bosniaks either. The policy that we from the Republika Srpska entity pursued is that there are no sanctions against Russia, and this has contributed to some companies from the Federation entity, which I know have exported to the Russian market very successfully. There are companies from the RS and FBiH that exported to the Russian market, thanks to the policy of not aligning ourselves with any side.

EU Enlargement Commissioner Oliver Varhelyi announced recently via Twitter he warned that Republika Srpska would not receive some € 600m in European funds to build parts of Corridor Vc, and reconstruct railways in the entity.

Milorad Dodik believes that this is a “policy of conditioning.”

The sanctions policy is a policy of suspending projects and is not useful in that regard, Dodik commented.