BELGRADE, May 23. /TASS/. Bosnia and Herzegovina chose not to join the West’s anti-Russian sanctions because of Republika Srpska, one of the country’s two constituent entities, Republika Srpska President Milorad Dodik said on Tuesday after talks with Russian President Vladimir Putin.
"He [Putin] is very well aware of the problems related to [anti-Russian sanctions]. He understands that Bosnia and Herzegovina has not made the formal jurisprudential decision [to impose anti-Russian sanctions] thanks to Republika Srpska," he told RTRS television in an interview.
Earlier, Dodik declared that Republika Srpska would not impose anti-Russian sanctions and instead develop ties with Russia, China and the United States. He reaffirmed that the republic would continue on its path to join the European Union, shunning NATO in the process. The United States and the United Kingdom, irritated by Dodik’s choice to block his country’s accession to NATO, have imposed sanctions on him.