What’s in the plans? Orbán invites controversial Bosnian Serb leader Dodik to Hungary

Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán has invited Milorad Dodik, the president of Republika Srpska (the Serb-majority entity within Bosnia and Herzegovina) for an official working visit to Hungary, despite the fact that Dodik is currently under an arrest warrant in his home country.

The announcement was made not by the Hungarian government but by Dodik himself on social media platform X (formerly Twitter), where he praised Orbán and highlighted their upcoming discussions on strategic cooperation in energy and agriculture. According to Telex, the Hungarian government has yet to comment publicly on the invitation or the visit.

“At the invitation of my friend and host, Prime Minister Viktor Orbán, I will be traveling to Hungary for a working visit,” Dodik posted. “We will discuss strategic projects in the fields of energy and agriculture, as Republika Srpska seeks to build its economy with those who understand and respect us.”

Legal trouble and investment controversy

Dodik’s visit comes under a cloud of legal and ethical concerns. In recent months, the Bosnian border police issued an arrest warrant for him, though the exact charges remain unclear. The move has intensified tensions in the politically fragile region.

Adding to the controversy is a recent report by Transparency International’s Bosnia and Herzegovina branch, Telex writes. After years of litigation, the organisation obtained previously classified documents concerning a planned Hungarian investment in a solar power plant near Trebinje. The documents reveal multiple irregularities in the concession process, including the fact that the Hungarian company awarded the project has since gone into liquidation.