Milorad Dodik facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Milorad Dodik
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| Милорад Додик | |
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Dodik in 2022
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| 8th President of Republika Srpska | |
| Assumed office 15 November 2022 |
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| Vice President | Ćamil Duraković Davor Pranjić |
| Preceded by | Željka Cvijanović |
| In office 15 November 2010 – 19 November 2018 |
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| Preceded by | Rajko Kuzmanović |
| Succeeded by | Željka Cvijanović |
| 16th Chairman of the Presidency of Bosnia and Herzegovina | |
| In office 20 November 2020 – 20 July 2021 |
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| Preceded by | Šefik Džaferović |
| Succeeded by | Željko Komšić |
| In office 20 November 2018 – 20 July 2019 |
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| Preceded by | Bakir Izetbegović |
| Succeeded by | Željko Komšić |
| 7th Serb Member of the Presidency of Bosnia and Herzegovina | |
| In office 20 November 2018 – 15 November 2022 |
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| Prime Minister | Denis Zvizdić Zoran Tegeltija |
| Preceded by | Mladen Ivanić |
| Succeeded by | Željka Cvijanović |
| 6th Prime Minister of Republika Srpska | |
| In office 28 February 2006 – 15 November 2010 |
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| Preceded by | Pero Bukejlović |
| Succeeded by | Anton Kasipović (acting) |
| In office 31 January 1998 – 16 January 2001 |
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| Preceded by | Gojko Kličković |
| Succeeded by | Mladen Ivanić |
| President of the Alliance of Independent Social Democrats | |
| Assumed office 10 March 1996 |
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| Preceded by | Office established |
| Personal details | |
| Born | 12 March 1959 Banja Luka, PR Bosnia and Herzegovina, FPR Yugoslavia |
| Nationality | Bosnian Serb |
| Political party | Alliance of Independent Social Democrats (1996–present) |
| Other political affiliations |
Union of Reform Forces (1990–1991) |
| Spouse | Snježana Dodik |
| Children | Gorica and Igor |
| Alma mater | University of Belgrade (BA) |
| Signature |  |
Milorad Dodik (Serbian Cyrillic: Милорад Додик born 12 March 1959) is a Bosnian Serb politician. He is currently the 8th President of Republika Srpska since 2022. He also held this job from 2010 to 2018.
Mr. Dodik was also a Serb member of the Presidency of Bosnia and Herzegovina from 2018 to 2022. Before that, he was the prime minister of Republika Srpska twice. His first time was from 1998 to 2001, and his second time was from 2006 to 2010.
He has led the Alliance of Independent Social Democrats (SNSD) political party since 1996. He has held many important jobs in Republika Srpska. This is the part of Bosnia and Herzegovina where most Serbs live.
At first, Mr. Dodik and his party were seen as modern leaders. They were different from older, more nationalist groups. But over time, they became more focused on Serb nationalism. They started to support the idea of Bosnian Serbs having the right to decide their own future. Some people have said his time in office has been marked by strong leadership. He has also worked to build closer ties with Russia and Serbia.
Contents
Early Life and Education
Milorad Dodik was born in Banja Luka. His parents were Bogoljub and Mira Dodik. He grew up in Laktaši, where he went to elementary school. He also played basketball for his town's team.
In 1978, he finished high school in Banja Luka. He then went to the Faculty of Political Sciences at the University of Belgrade. He graduated from there in 1983.
Early Political Career (1986–1998)
From 1986 to 1990, Mr. Dodik was the head of the local government in Laktaši. In 1990, he was chosen to be part of the Assembly of the Socialist Republic of Bosnia and Herzegovina. He was a member of the Union of Reform Forces of Yugoslavia.
During the Bosnian War, Mr. Dodik was a representative in the National Assembly of Republika Srpska. He created a group called the Independent Members of Parliament Caucus. This group was the only political opposition to the main party at the time.
This group later became the core of the Party of Independent Social Democrats (SNSD) in 1996. This happened after the Dayton Agreement brought peace. Mr. Dodik was the first president of the SNSD. Later, this party joined with another group to form the Alliance of Independent Social Democrats. Mr. Dodik is still the president of this larger party.
Prime Minister of Republika Srpska
First Term (1998–2001)
In 1997, early elections were held in Republika Srpska. This happened after some political disagreements. Milorad Dodik was chosen to be the Prime Minister of Republika Srpska. This was even though his party had only two seats in the National Assembly.
Second Term (2006–2010)
In 2006, Mr. Dodik's party won a large number of votes in the general election. Many international groups saw him as a modern leader. They thought he could help move Republika Srpska forward. Western countries supported him. They hoped he would bring positive changes.
After he became prime minister, Republika Srpska received money from the European Union. This money helped pay for government workers and police. In 2007, Mr. Dodik visited the United States. He was welcomed by important officials. They promised more aid.
Later, Mr. Dodik became a very powerful Serb politician in Bosnia and Herzegovina. Some people then saw him as a strong nationalist. He was seen as a challenge to the peace in the region.
On 5 May 2008, Mr. Dodik and Serbian President Boris Tadić opened a park in Belgrade. It was named Park Republika Srpska.
On 1 June 2008, Mr. Dodik visited Zagreb. He made comments about a past military operation. These comments caused some disagreement.
On 12 December 2008, Mr. Dodik made comments about judges. These comments were strongly criticized by international groups. The U.S. Embassy in Sarajevo called them "extremely chauvinistic."
On 9 September 2009, Mr. Dodik and President Tadić opened a school in Pale. It was named "Serbia."
On 27 October 2009, Mr. Dodik helped a former president return home. She had been in prison for war crimes. He said he did it for "moral reasons."
In November 2009, Mr. Dodik refused to give documents to international prosecutors. These documents were about government building projects. He said the court did not have power over Republika Srpska.
On 19 January 2010, the Croatian president made a statement. He said that if Republika Srpska tried to become independent, Croatia might act.
Presidency (2018–2022)
2018 General Election
Mr. Dodik announced he would run for the Bosnian Presidency on 26 December 2017. He wanted to be the Serb member of Bosnia's three-person Presidency.
He won the election on 7 October 2018. He received 53.88% of the votes. The person who was in office before him came in second.
Domestic Policy
Early in his presidency, Mr. Dodik had a disagreement with another new Presidency member. He wanted the flag of Republika Srpska in his office. He later agreed to have only the flag of Bosnia and Herzegovina.
In March 2019, Mr. Dodik chose a famous filmmaker as his advisor.
On 28 January 2021, Mr. Dodik was reported to the Prosecutor's Office of Bosnia and Herzegovina. This was for comments he made about election officials.
On 22 May 2021, two other Presidency members attended a military exercise. It was between the United States Army and the Armed Forces of Bosnia and Herzegovina. Mr. Dodik chose not to attend.
On 5 January 2022, the United States placed sanctions on Mr. Dodik. They said his actions were "destabilizing" and "corrupt." Sanctions mean that his property in the U.S. was blocked. Also, U.S. people and companies could not do business with him. On 11 April 2022, the United Kingdom also placed sanctions on him. They said he was trying to weaken Bosnia and Herzegovina.
On 16 November 2022, Mr. Dodik was replaced by Željka Cvijanović in the Presidency.
COVID-19 Pandemic
When the COVID-19 pandemic in Bosnia and Herzegovina started in March 2020, the Presidency set up quarantine tents. These were at the country's borders. All Bosnian citizens returning home had to stay there for 14 days.
On 21 December 2020, Mr. Dodik went to the hospital. He had pneumonia. The next day, it was confirmed he had COVID-19. He recovered by 28 December.
On 2 March 2021, the Serbian president visited Sarajevo. He met with Mr. Dodik and other leaders. He donated 10,000 doses of COVID-19 vaccines. A few days later, the Slovenian president also visited and promised vaccines.
On 21 April 2021, Mr. Dodik received his first vaccine dose. It was the Sputnik V vaccine.
Views on the High Representative
The High Representative for Bosnia and Herzegovina is an international official. This person helps make sure the peace agreement is followed. On 27 May 2021, Valentin Inzko resigned from this job. A new person, Christian Schmidt, was set to take over.
Mr. Dodik did not agree with this change. He said that Republika Srpska would not accept Mr. Schmidt. He believed Mr. Schmidt needed approval from the United Nations Security Council. Russia and China also shared this view.
On 23 July 2021, Mr. Inzko made a change to the law. This change made it illegal to deny certain events from the past war. This caused strong reactions from Bosnian Serb politicians. Mr. Dodik said that Republika Srpska would be "forced to go into dissolution." He also said that the events "did not happen." As a result, many Serb representatives stopped working in national institutions. This created a new political problem.
After a UN Security Council meeting on 4 November 2021, Mr. Dodik said he would sue Mr. Schmidt. He called the meeting a "Victory for Republika Srpska." He said it showed that "Christian Schmidt is the High Representative only in his mind."
On 26 January 2022, Mr. Dodik said his party would return to national institutions. This would happen if a law was passed. This law would ban calling the country's parts "genocidal."
Withdrawal of Powers
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The Constitutional Court of Bosnia and Herzegovina made a ruling on 23 September 2021. It said that a law about forests in Republika Srpska was not allowed by the constitution. Mr. Dodik disagreed with this decision.
On 27 September, he said that Republika Srpska would take back its approval for some agreements. These agreements were about the national armed forces and judicial council. He later said that nothing would be done "outside the Constitution."
On 20 October 2021, the National Assembly of Republika Srpska voted to create its own agency for medicines. This meant they would no longer support the national Bosnian agency.
On 8 November 2021, Mr. Dodik announced more changes for the armed forces. He said that the army should be smaller. He also said it would be good for Bosnia and Herzegovina to have no military.
On 10 December 2021, the Republika Srpska National Assembly voted on new plans. These plans would move powers from the national level to the entity level.
Foreign Policy
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In May 2021, there was a conflict between Israel and Palestine. Mr. Dodik supported Israel. The Israeli Prime Minister thanked him for this.
In June 2021, Mr. Dodik signed a declaration in Turkey. This declaration included talks about joining NATO.
On 6 November 2021, he met with the Hungarian prime minister. He thanked him for Hungary's understanding of Republika Srpska. The Hungarian prime minister said that Republika Srpska was important for peace in the Balkans.
On 2 December 2021, Mr. Dodik met with Russian President Vladimir Putin in Moscow. Mr. Dodik said that Mr. Putin knew a lot about the situation in Bosnia and Herzegovina. After Russia recognized two regions in Ukraine as independent, Mr. Dodik said Republika Srpska would stay neutral.
European Union
Mr. Dodik was once a strong supporter of the European Union. But over time, he became more critical of the EU.
In September 2020, Mr. Dodik and other Presidency members said Bosnia and Herzegovina could become an EU candidate. This would happen if the country made good reforms.
In September 2021, Mr. Dodik went to a summit in Hungary. He met with the Slovenian prime minister. He also gave a speech where he criticized the European Union.
On 30 September, Mr. Dodik met with the President of the European Commission. This meeting was in Sarajevo. It was part of her visit to Bosnia and Herzegovina.
In an interview in October 2021, Mr. Dodik said the Western Balkans were far from joining the EU. In December 2021, the German Foreign Minister suggested sanctions against Mr. Dodik. On 20 May 2022, Mr. Dodik met with the President of the European Council. They talked about Bosnia and Herzegovina joining the EU.
Relations with Turkey
On 16 March 2021, Mr. Dodik and other leaders visited Turkey. They met with Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan. President Erdoğan promised to donate 30,000 COVID-19 vaccines. They also agreed on other cooperation, like building a highway.
On 27 August 2021, President Erdoğan visited Sarajevo. He met with the Presidency members. They talked about more economic cooperation.
In November 2021, Mr. Dodik went to Ankara and met with President Erdoğan again. They discussed the political situation in Bosnia and Herzegovina.
President of Republika Srpska
First and Second Term (2010–2018)
In October 2010, Mr. Dodik won the presidential election in Republika Srpska. He became the 8th president of the republic.
In May 2011, Mr. Dodik planned to hold a public vote. This vote would show disagreement with Bosnian state institutions. The High Representative for Bosnia and Herzegovina warned that this could harm the peace agreement. Republika Srpska later canceled the vote.
On 25 October 2011, Mr. Dodik gave a speech at Columbia University. The event was met with protests from several groups.
In October 2012, Mr. Dodik suggested that Bosnia and Herzegovina's military should be removed. On 3 November 2012, he announced that Republika Srpska would donate money. This money would help renovate a religious leader's home in Belgrade.
On 13 November 2012, the High Representative called Mr. Dodik a frequent supporter of dissolving Bosnia. He said Mr. Dodik's actions were troubling.
On 1 January 2017, the United States placed sanctions on Mr. Dodik. This was because he was seen as going against the Constitutional Court. The U.S. said his actions threatened Bosnia and Herzegovina's unity.
Third Term (2022–Present)
2022 General Election
On 1 July 2022, Mr. Dodik announced he would run for president of Republika Srpska for a third time.
After the election results came out, some parties claimed there were problems with the votes. They said Mr. Dodik's party had added illegal votes. The Central Election Commission of Bosnia and Herzegovina recounted the votes. On 27 October, officials confirmed Mr. Dodik's victory. They said there were some issues, but not enough to change who won.
Time in Office
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Mr. Dodik was sworn in as president on 15 November 2022. This happened in the National Assembly of Republika Srpska. He took over from Željka Cvijanović.
On 23 November, Mr. Dodik asked the current prime minister to form a new government. The National Assembly confirmed this new government on 21 December 2022.
On 8 January 2023, Mr. Dodik gave Russian President Vladimir Putin a high award.
In March 2023, there was some violence in Banja Luka. This happened during an event for human rights. The U.S. Secretary of State said Mr. Dodik's actions were like an "authoritarian path."
On 27 June 2023, the National Assembly of Republika Srpska voted on new laws. These laws would stop following some rulings by the Constitutional Court. The High Representative then canceled these new laws. He said they went against the constitution and the peace agreement.
Mr. Dodik spoke out against the 2023 attack on Israel. He showed his support for Israel. The Palace of the Republic in Banja Luka displayed the Israeli flag.
On 26 March 2024, Christian Schmidt made changes to Bosnia and Herzegovina’s election law. Mr. Dodik said Serbs would block the government's work if these changes were not removed.
Legal Proceedings
In August 2023, Mr. Dodik was charged with not following decisions by the High Representative. He could face time in prison. Other Bosnian Serb officials said the charges were politically motivated.
On 16 October 2023, Mr. Dodik did not enter a plea at his first court hearing. He told reporters he did not understand the charges.
On 5 February 2024, Mr. Dodik's trial officially began. On 26 February 2025, he was found guilty by the court. He was sentenced to one year in prison. He was also banned from being president of Republika Srpska for six years.
Personal Life
Milorad Dodik is married to Snježana Dodik. They have two children. His nephew, Vico Zeljković, is a businessman and works in football.
In 2024, Mr. Dodik had surgery in Belgrade. This was to help with problems in his throat and stomach.
Honours
- Order of the Republic of Serbia
- Order of the Republika Srpska
- Order of Friendship
- Award of the International Foundation for the Unity of Orthodox Christian Nations
- Order of Peter the Great with Sash – for helping Russian-Serbian cooperation
- Order of the Nemanjić dynasty
- Order of St. Sava
- Order of Saint Simeon the Myrrh-streaming
- Order of the Saint bishop Nikolaj
- Holy Cross of the Holy Sepulchre Guardians
- Order of Alexander Nevsky
Honorary Awards
- Honorary president of KK Partizan (a basketball club)
- Honorary citizen of Drvar
- Honorary citizen of Gradiška
- Honorary citizen of Trebinje
Images for kids
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Milorad Dodik's signature
See also
In Spanish: Milorad Dodik para niños
