Thewesternbalkans
Prime Minister Viktor Orbán on April 4 discussed bilateral cooperation in a number of areas with top officials of Bosnia and Herzegovina as Hungary prepares to take its turn as president of the European Union on July 1, reported regional and Hungarian media.
Orbán and Borjana Krišto, the chairwoman of Bosnia’s Council of Ministers, discussed bilateral cooperation in education, culture, agriculture, energy, telecommunications, and other areas. Krišto emphasized the good cooperation between the two countries and welcomed the work of the Joint Commission on Economic Cooperation between Hungary and Bosnia and Herzegovina, noting that there is significant room and need to increase trade between the two countries. She added that the EU’s decision to open accession negotiations with Bosnia and Herzegovina is an incentive for the country to continue the reform process and thanked Viktor Orbán and the Hungarian diplomacy for their strong and unreserved support for Sarajevo’s European path.
Orbán informed Krišto that during its EU presidency later this year, Hungary would appoint a team dedicated to issues connected to Bosnia and Herzegovina as a part of its strong support to country’s “fast membership in EU”.
The Hungarian prime minister later arrived in Banja Luka where he was received by Milorad Dodik, the President of Republika Srpska. Dodik presented Viktor Orbán with the Order of the Republika Srpska on a necklace, with which he was awarded on the occasion of the Republic Day on January 9, which was declared unconstitutional by the Constitutional Court of Bosnia and Herzegovina. The Hungarian Prime Minister stated at the ceremony that he considers this award a sign of respect, but also an expression of friendship.
The Order of the Republika Srpska on the necklace is the highest decoration of the RS, and last year it was awarded to Russian President Vladimir Putin.
Comment: Orbán has repeatedly proven to be the strongest European supporter of Dodik’s policies, both within the good bilateral relations between Hungary and Republika Srpska and at the European level, stating his strong opposition to EU calls for sanctions on Dodik because of his separatist politics and strongly expressed pro-Russian aspirations. According to him, “the policy towards Republika Srpska is unfair”.
Dodik has also been sanctioned by the United States and Britain over his efforts to undermine the Dayton Agreement.
