Rod Blagojevich, the former Illinois governor who was pardoned by President Donald Trump in February, has taken on a new role as a lobbyist for the Republic of Srpska, a Serb-majority territory in Bosnia and Herzegovina. Blagojevich’s firm, RRB Strategies, will provide communications and public affairs support for the Republic of Srpska, according to the registration statement filed under the Foreign Agents Registration Act.
Bosnia and Herzegovina, held together by the Dayton Accords that ended the Bosnian War in 1995, has been a region plagued by ethnic tensions. Blagojevich aims to advocate for a reexamination of the Dayton Agreement in light of current realities. He sees himself as part of a populist movement that includes leaders like Trump, Marine Le Pen in France, and Milorad Dodik, the president of Srpska.
Dodik has long pushed for the Republic of Srpska to secede from Bosnia and Herzegovina and join Serbia. Recently sentenced to a year in prison for defying the country’s Constitutional Court, Dodik, known as “the Bosnian Bear,” has fled to Moscow. Secretary of State Marco Rubio has condemned Dodik for undermining Bosnia and Herzegovina’s institutions and threatening its security and stability.
Blagojevich, who was convicted in 2011 on corruption charges, was pardoned by Trump after being acquainted with him on The Celebrity Apprentice. There were talks of appointing Blagojevich as the U.S. ambassador to Serbia before Mark Brnovich was chosen for the role. Blagojevich, of Serbian descent, highlights his experience in Balkan politics, including his role in negotiating the release of American prisoners of war in Belgrade in 1999.
With his new role, Blagojevich hopes to promote Judeo-Christian values in the Balkans, similar to Israel in the Middle East. He sees the Republic of Serbia and the Republic of Srpska as potential bastions of these values and is grateful for the opportunity to contribute to their development.
