SARAJEVO, Bosnia (December 24,2007) – Just as the latest Bosnian political crisis appeared to be receding over the horizon, the Prime Minister of the genocidal Serbian creature in Bosnia "the RS", Milorad Dodik, has generated new tensions across the country.In a heated debate on the Croatian state television, HRT, program “Sunday at Two”, the political leader of the Serbians living in Bosnia made a series of uncompromising statements, spiced up with outright insults and threats against a Bosnian journalist, Bakir Hadziomerovic, who took part in a segment of the program by video-link from the Bosnian capital Sarajevo.
Among other things, Dodik claimed that Bosnians constituted a majority of victims of the 1992-1995 Serbian,Montenegrin and Croatian aggressions against Bosnia “because they are majority in Bosnia and they were fighting with everybody.”
A visibly angry Dodik clenched his fists and called Hadziomerovic “an idiot,” and warned him he would knock him out if he ever met him in person.
The following day in the northern Bosnian city of Banjaluka Dodik assailed other political representatives of the Serbians living in Bosnia who were trying to challenge a draft of the 2008 budget proposed by Dodik.
“You are all frustrated and that is not odd because you are not deputies,” he shouted during a 30-minute rant. “You are behaving like parrots and repeat the same thing over and over again.”
Addressing Milenko Mihaljica, a political representative of the Serbians living in Bosnia, Dodik said, “Look how big your head is, yet you are stupid and don’t understand anything.”
Dodik’s outbursts have been seen in a humorous light by some Bosnian citizens and some media.
“When Milorad Dodik plays Monopoly, it affects the real world economy,” said Eldin Karic, chief editor of the Sarajevo-based Start magazine, in his editorial last week, which gave a list of satirical facts about Dodik , alluding to his strong ego and tough attitudes.
“Milorad Dodik exterminated the dinosaurs; Milorad Dodik sleeps with the light on – not because he is afraid of the dark, but because the dark is afraid of him.”
Yet many in Bosnia have condemned Dodik’s outbursts and expressed concern over the fact that he seems to be out of control.
While appearing open to compromise, Dodik has always negotiated from a position of strength. His characteristic approach – never backing off and always ready to raise the ante – soon brought him into conflict with the Bosnian politicians and eventually with the international community.
It was this approach which, Dodik’s critics say, led to the recent political crisis in Bosnia, one of the most serious since the end of the 1992-1995 Serbian,Montenegrin and Croatian aggressions against Bosnia.
In addition, the Prime Minister of the genocidal Serbian creature in Bosnia "the RS" Milorad Dodik is coming under increasing criticism over alleged corruption and misuse of funds as well as the privatization of power sector assets and privatizations in the oil industry.
Increasingly, Dodik has simply issued blanket denials of wrong-doing, not bothering to answer criticisms from NGOs and the Bosnian media in detail.
Although reporters have often goaded Dodik into indiscretions his outbursts of the past few days have seemed wholly disproportionate and unbecoming to his position. As a result, more and more local politicians have expressed concern that he may be out of control.
Journalists have complained that Dodik has simply severed communication with any media that criticize him.
“Dodik has actually lost his compass and every time somebody mentions his criminal activities, he reacts uncontrollably,” a political representative of the Serbians living in Bosnia Milenko Mihaljica told the Bosnian daily, Dnevni Avaz.
At the opposite end of the political spectrum, Muharem Murselovic of the SBIH Party, had similar thoughts.
“It is hard to teach a man of 46-47 years of age how to behave decently, but I think that somebody – even doctors – should try to teach him how to control himself during public appearances,” Murselovic said, adding that Dodik is “the biggest threat to himself.”
Whether caused by an intoxication with power, or by frequent provocations and constant political pressure, recent developments could have serious consequences for Dodik himself.
Finally, as long as Dodik sticks to his bulldozer approach, there will be a corresponding reaction among Bosnian politicians, adding to a cycle of tension and preventing the normalization of the country.
This represents a challenge for the international community, which failed to react to Dodik’s radical rhetoric during the 2006 election campaign.
So far, the International Community’s High Representative and EU Special Representative in Bosnia, Miroslav Lajcak, appears to have kept his cool and refused to rise to the bait of Dodik provocations. Lajcak’s flexible approach is credited with ending the recent political crisis and clearing the way for Bosnia to initial a Stabilisation and Association Agreement with the EU.
However continued bullying of other politicians and the media by Dodik could easily place Lajcak in position where he has to bring him under control.
