Blinken compares Bosnia Serb leader to Putin

SARAJEVO, Bosnia-Herzegovina (AP) — U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken has compared the policies of separatist leader of the Serbs in Bosnia to those of Russian President Vladimir Putin. Blinken tweeted late Wednesday that “Milorad Dodik’s attacks on basic rights and freedoms in Republika Srpska show he is on President Putin’s authoritarian path.” Republika Srpska is the name for the half of Bosnia that is dominated by the country’s Serbs. Dodik is the entity’s president and leading politician whose government recently has made moves to curb dissent and LGBTQ rights. Dodik is staunchly pro-Russia and has repeatedly clashed with Western officials in Bosnia.