Republika Srpska pays $4m to lobby for independence

Republika Srpska, Bosnia’s Serb-led entity, paid a Washington firm $4 million to lobby for independence from Bosnia and Herzegovina.

The September 2025 contract with Dickens & Madson states that independence is the entity’s final goal.

Republika Srpska has paid at least $8.3 million to 15 US lobbying and legal firms since 2015, according to Justice Department records reviewed by Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty.

Its government separately set aside about €28 million for further lobbying in its revised 2025 budget.

Previous contracts also sought the removal of US sanctions against former entity leader Milorad Dodik and challenged the authority of Bosnia’s international peace envoy.

Bosnia’s constitution does not allow either of its two entities to leave the country. The United States continues to support Bosnia’s sovereignty and territorial integrity.

Lobbying for independence is legal in the United States, but work for foreign clients must be publicly registered.

The Republika Srpska government did not answer questions about the campaign. Dickens & Madson declined to discuss the contract, citing confidentiality. (Radio Free Europe)