Orban hails Dodik in Budapest as symbol of “endurance” despite sanctions and controversies

CPAC, a high-profile conservative political gathering, is being held in the Hungarian capital, bringing together right-wing and nationalist politicians, activists and public figures from Europe and beyond.

During his speech, Orban singled out Dodik, calling him a loyal ally and saying he had “survived American sanctions, blackmail from Germany and Bosnian harassment.”

“Believe me, dear friends, we would have collapsed if we had gone through even half of what Dodik has gone through. But he endured, and thank you, Milorad, for being with us today,” Orban said.

Orban did not mention that Dodik has been sanctioned by the United States and several Western governments over actions seen as undermining the constitutional order of Bosnia and Herzegovina, nor that he has faced repeated legal and political controversies at home and abroad. He also made no reference to Dodik’s inflammatory rhetoric, including repeated insults directed at other ethnic communities in Bosnia and Herzegovina, as well as political opponents within Republika Srpska.

The Budapest conference is expected to feature a wide roster of conservative and far-right figures, including Miklos Szantho, director general of the Center for Fundamental Rights, and Matt Schlapp, chairman of the CPAC Foundation.

Other announced speakers include Georgian Prime Minister Irakli Kobakhidze, Hungarian Foreign Minister Peter Szijjarto, Gergely Gulyas, minister in charge of the Prime Minister’s Office, and US political commentator Dave Rubin. The programme also includes panels with international participants such as Eduardo Bolsonaro, as well as appearances by Geert Wilders, Mateusz Morawiecki, Santiago Abascal, Alice Weidel, Andre Ventura and Argentine President Javier Milei.

Dodik later responded on X, thanking Orban for the remarks and describing the event as part of broader American and Hungarian efforts to define what he called “shared values,” linking it to the political orbit of US President Donald Trump and the Republican movement.