Dodik still hopes for US support, Konakovic tells him the game is over

“The U.S. administration is a dedicated friend of BiH,” Konakovic said in an interview with the Sarajevo-based portal Raport, commenting on Dodik’s attempts to secure the White House’s favour through certain lobbyists and continue his political activities.

After he was sentenced to one year in prison and given a six-year ban on political activity, Dodik secretly met in Montenegro with Richard Grenell, who holds the status of special envoy in Trump’s administration, while Rod Blagojevich, former governor of Illinois convicted of corruption and later pardoned by the current US president after eight years in prison, actively lobbies for him in the US

The Joe Biden administration had a highly active approach to Bosnia and Herzegovina, with then-ambassador Michael Murphy directly encouraging more decisive action by the international community, including the use of executive powers by High Representative Christian Schmidt.

After Trump won a second term in the U.S. presidential election, he did not appoint a successor to Murphy, whose mandate expired in January, raising doubts about the future US policy toward BiH.

While Dodik continues to claim that Washington will no longer actively engage in Bosnia and Herzegovina and hopes that the Trump administration will lift the sanctions imposed on him in 2017, Konakovic says this is a completely wrong assessment. It is clear, however, that BiH is no longer at the top of the U.S. strategic interest list, as European countries have taken the initiative, he said.

Konakovic announced that Dodik will “very soon feel a new blow” in the U.S. Congress, resulting from his undermining of the Dayton Agreement.

He believes that members of Congress Ann Wagner, Mike Turner, Wesley Bell, and Jake Auchincloss will succeed in ensuring the passage of the Upholding the Dayton Peace Agreement Through Sanctions Act, which has support from both the Democratic and Republican parties, in both chambers.

“This will very quickly be one confirmation of the strategic partnership between BiH and the U.S., which does not work in Dodik’s favour,” Konakovic said.

“The US administration is a dedicated friend of BiH,” Konakovic said in an interview with the Sarajevo-based portal Raport, commenting on Dodik’s attempts to secure the White House’s favour through certain lobbyists and continue his political activities.

Once the decision on his removal becomes final - expected at the beginning of next week - Dodik will no longer be able to sign anything, Konaković said, adding that any other behaviour would constitute the commission of new criminal acts and would effectively “render the entity leaderless”.

After the decision on Dodik’s removal becomes final, SIP is expected to announce early elections for the RS presidency within 15 days.

The media speculate about potential candidates for the position, but the opposition has not yet agreed on a candidate who could hold the RS presidency until the regular elections planned for October 2026.

Konakovic called on the RS opposition to seize the opportunity now and demonstrate willingness to stabilise the country by cooperating on the adoption of reform laws.

“If the HDZ BiH assumes its natural European position,” Konaković said, referring to repeated calls for the party to distance itself from any cooperation with Dodik, it would soon be possible, with the support of the current RS opposition, to adopt the two remaining reform laws necessary for opening EU negotiations and to appoint the chief negotiator.

This, he concluded, would send a message to the citizens of BiH ahead of the 2026 elections that positive change is possible.