Transparency International warns Republika Srpska over secretive US lobbying contracts

In a report published on the portal Transparentno.ba, TIBiH noted that the Ministry rejected its freedom of information request seeking contracts signed by the RS Government with American consultants Chris LaCivita and James Blair, associates of US President Donald Trump. Citing the New York Times, TIBiH highlighted that the two consultants received several hundred thousand dollars each for election-related advisory services. In a formal response signed by Minister Zlatan Klokic, the Ministry declined to provide the contracts or their financial values, claiming the documents constitute confidential information subject to a special protection regime. TIBiH stressed that the Ministry failed to cite specific legal provisions or conduct a mandatory public interest test as required under the Freedom of Access to Information Act.

Documents registered under the US Foreign Agents Registration Act (FARA) indicate that agreements ostensibly representing RS interests also cover activities defending Dodik's political standing and business network. A September 2025 contract with Canadian firm Dickens & Madson stipulated a 4 million dollar fee for lobbying US and international officials to support RS independence, remove High Representative Christian Schmidt, and lift sanctions against Dodik and his family, with 3 million dollars paid by October 2025.

Similarly, a March 2025 agreement with RRB Strategies, led by Rod Blagojevich, outlined campaigns advocating RS self-determination and the closure of the Office of the High Representative (OHR), though its financial terms were redacted. Further agreements include a 100,000 dollar two-month contract with GS2 Law regarding alleged religious persecution claims, a 2026 contract with Zell & Associates focused on reviewing the Dayton Peace Agreement, abolishing the Bonn Powers, phasing out EUFOR, and exploring rare earth minerals, as well as a seven-month, 280,000 dollar engagement with Becker & Poliakoff.

TIBiH’s analysis reveals that known base fees across eight major arrangements for 2025 and 2026 total 9.37 million dollars, excluding redacted sums. Furthermore, TIBiH raised alarm over the documented attendance of consultants Alex Garcia, James Blair, and Andrew H. Smith at an SNSD pre-election rally, questioning whether public money funded partisan campaign activities despite a Constitutional Court of Bosnia and Herzegovina ban on budgetary payments for unconstitutional lobbying objectives.