Russia made mistake giving cheap energy to Europe for 40 years: Bosnian Serb leader

Bosnian Serb leader Milorad Dodik said Wednesday that Russia "made a terrible mistake by giving cheap energy to Europe for more than 40 years."

Dodik said Europe is left without a leader as he spoke to a local television station about the current energy crises and political disputes.

"Europe is miserable and has lost its power. Europe has no resources, raw materials and energy, and if it wants a future in the field of energy, it has to lean on another market. The closest and best commercial market to them is Russia,'' said Dodik.

Dodik, who is the president of Republika Srpska, the Serb-controlled half of Bosnia and Herzegovina, said Europe has been developing thanks to the cheap energy it obtained from Russia.

"Of course, the West, Europe and the USA will not disappear in concrete terms, but Europe could not measure its place and role well in the current situation and has become the biggest victim of what is happening in the world,'' he said.

He said his non-participation in the sanctions against Russia is causing discomfort in Europe.

"Two nations close to us are fighting and I think this is entirely the work of the West,'' said Dodik.

The European Parliament last week called for the introduction of sanctions against Dodik.

Dodik said European Parliament's thoughts about him do not matter and he noted there were people in the body who had not bathed for five months when he was a lawmaker.