Deputy Chairman of the Council of Ministers Stasha Košarac stated that Christian Schmidt, with his statements about January 9—Republika Srpska Day—contributes to policies against Srpska and creates a serious crisis in BiH.
Highlighting the significance of Schmidt’s statements despite his lack of a legitimate or legal role in Bosna and Herzegovina, Košarac said that the response from the Republika Srpska should be to gather around its institutions and act in accordance with the Dayton Peace Agreement.
“He is trying in every possible way to provoke the legitimately elected political leadership of the Republika Srpska, all with the aim of pressuring the Republika Srpska,” said Košarac, emphasizing that Schmidt is doing this in partnership with the U.S. Ambassador to BiH Michael Marfie, the head of the EU Delegation Johan Sattler, and a part of the Bosniak political public.
Košarac emphasized that January 9 is a significant date for the Republika Srpska, which emerged in peace as a response to the structures that plotted war in BiH, with the ambition to preserve the freedom and lives of the Serb people while not diminishing its openness to being a state that enables all rights for Bosniaks and Croats.
“Republika Srpska Day is an obligation for all of us in Srpska to gather around that important date. Neither Marfie nor Schmidt nor any ill-intentioned Bosniak can prevent us from marking something important to us in an adequate, civilized, and cultural way. That day is the birthday of the Republic of Srpska, and a birthday cannot be changed or characterized in any other way than as an important national day for Srpska,” said Košarac, who is also the Minister of Foreign Trade and Economic Relations in the Council of Ministers.
He reminded us that Srpska and its institutions have, for years, proven that Republic Day is observed with dignity and civility, without insulting or provoking anyone.
Košarac conveyed that the Republic of Srpska does not pursue a policy of provocation but rather a policy of affirming its needs.
Regarding Schmidt’s call to Brussels to exert pressure on official Belgrade and Podgorica representatives not to attend the marking of Republic of Srpska Day, Košarac considered it a sign of Schmidt’s impotence.
“He is aware that the Republika Srpska conducts its processes in accordance with the Constitution, offering solutions based on the Constitution and the Dayton Agreement. In this way, Schmidt shows that he is a small player in any context.”
What are we talking about? Is it a European standard that a foreigner without legitimacy can come to a country and impose solutions? Is it a European standard to say, ‘If you don’t listen to what I say, I have a law to impose that will send you to prison for five years’? Is that a European standard, future, democracy, or rule of law?” Košarac questioned.
Speaking about the process in the BiH Court against the President of the Republika Srpska, which is directly related to Schmidt’s imposed decisions, Košarac stated that the practice of certain Bosniak structures in partnership with foreigners to produce solutions imposed on Serbs and sometimes Croats has never stopped in BiH.
“Even today, there is a very active role of some embassies in BiH that model certain partners from the Federation of BiH and manage them. Ambassador Marfie’s malignant influence on political processes in BiH—how many times do we have to say that? We from the Republic of Srpska openly say that Marfie’s behavior is counterproductive and harmful to the interests of BiH, especially the Republic of Srpska. He exerts political pressure, which is not his mandate,” said Košarac.
According to him, it is clear that the process against the President of Srpska is a fabricated political process plotted “in the kitchen” of Marfie and some other ambassadors, aimed at attempting to remove Dodik from the political scene and creating a matrix that anyone who does not act as they demand will face the same fate.
“They are deluded that the Republika Srpska is being tried. Here, BiH is being tried because Milorad Dodik was legitimately elected by the Serb people in Srpska, and all activities were carried out in accordance with the Constitution and laws. And then he is being tried for doing what he did in accordance with the Constitution and constitutional obligations,” said Košarac.
The response to all of this, he noted, lies in the constitutional and lawful behavior of the President of the Republic of Srpska and all its other representatives in power.
“There is probably a written verdict in the drawers of the American ambassador, but we are ready to protect the President and institutions of Srpska with arguments,” Košarac concluded for SRNA
Source: RTRS
