The President of Republika Srpska, Milorad Dodik, stated that Republika Srpska was not formed to be extinguished by someone but to strengthen, and that the coming years will be crucial for the unraveling of the situation in Bosnia and Herzegovina (BiH).
“Serbs will continue to have their Republika Srpska. I call on the citizens of Srpska to mark January 9—the Day of the Republic—with love,” Dodik said.
He emphasized that Republika Srpska cannot accept solutions that are detrimental to it and that the Defensive-Patriotic War was not a whim of a group of people but a popular uprising. He pointed out that Republika Srpska was established before the war.
Dodik highlighted that Bosniak politicians and part of the international community believe that Republika Srpska should be destroyed, and Serbs should understand this, whether he is its president or not. He added that the belittlement of Republika Srpska cannot be accepted.
“Just as we all have a date of birth, so does Republika Srpska. The people of Srpska said in a referendum that it was January 9. Instead of respecting that and finding a way, they still insist on the story that they punish us because we celebrate something. They continue to impose bad solutions for Srpska,” Dodik said on “Una” television.
He assessed that the legal process against him would not happen if there were rights and justice in BiH. He argued that it is impossible for someone from outside to come and, by decision, change the law and prescribe a criminal offense, adding that no lawyer could accept it as possible.
“It is not possible, and Muslim lawyers accept it solely because it is a process against me, against Serbs, against Republika Srpska. Muslims in BiH are very homogenized in an effort to diminish, abolish, and destroy Srpska, while Republika Srpska and the people in Srpska are not like that towards BiH. We say, Give us what is provided by the Constitution, and we will stay; if not, then we will not stay. Why get upset if we say we won’t accept your goals?” Dodik questioned.
He emphasized that the support of the citizens means a lot to him, including not only political functionaries but also people from Bijeljina, East Sarajevo, Banja Luka, and Zvornik. He reiterated that Christian Schmidt is not a legal high representative because the UN Security Council did not appoint him.
The President of Srpska said that part of the international community expects him to be sentenced and to bring to power some of his people who will say that Dodik is guilty for Srpska not receiving certain financial funds from Brussels.
Dodik explained that receiving these funds would mean giving up property and much more, without which there would be no Republika Srpska.
“Nowhere in the world is it a criminal offense not to implement decisions of the Constitutional Court. This court looks at whether acts, primarily legal, are in line with the Constitution. The Constitutional Court of BiH has gone further and started recommending and saying that decisions about property should be made at the level of the BiH Parliament. Does it say in the BiH competencies that they should decide on that? It does not say!” Dodik emphasized.
He added that the Constitutional Court of BiH will not get two judges from Republika Srpska because this court wants to redefine the entire political system and impose bad solutions for Srpska.
“Before you do that, we will declare independence,” Dodik concluded.
He added that the time of fear of some major powers, such as the USA, has passed and that the US Ambassador to BiH, Michael Murphy, is a “common Serb-hater” who works on the concept of overthrowing Republika Srpska.
Source: RTRS
