Bosnian Serb leader Milorad Dodik congratulated pro-Russian politician Robert Fico on his SMER party's victory in election in Slovakia this weekend, expressing hope for cooperation.

“I am convinced you can form a new government of Slovakia,” Dodik wrote in a post on the X network.

He also expressed hope for further cooperation “between our two friendly countries.

“With you as a prime minister who enjoys the support of the people of Slovakia, it will continue the path of progress and development in the future. I hope for a good economic and other forms of cooperation between our two friendly countries,” said Dodik, the president of Bosnia's Republika Srpska entity.

As reported by CNN, the party headed by a pro-Kremlin figure came out top after securing more votes than expected in an election in Slovakia, preliminary results show, in what could pose a challenge to NATO and EU unity on Ukraine.

According to preliminary results released by Slovakia’s Statistical Office at 9 a.m. local time, Robert Fico’s populist SMER party won 22.9% of the vote.

Progressive Slovakia (PS), a liberal and pro-Ukrainian party won 17.9%.

Fico, a two-time former prime minister, now has a chance to regain the job but must first seek coalition partners as his party did not secure a big enough share of the vote to govern on its own.

The moderate-left Hlas party, led by a former SMER member and formed as an offshoot of SMER following internal disputes, came third with 14.7% of the vote, and could play kingmaker.

With seven political parties reaching the 5% threshold needed to enter the parliament, coalition negotiations will almost certainly include multiple players and could be long and messy.

In September this year Fico visited Banja Luka, Republika Srpska entity administrative centre, where he met with Dodik who wished him success in the election.