The President of the National Assembly of Republika Srpska, Nenad Steandić, stated that Republika Srpska does not wish to enter the EU as a beggar who lacks self-respect, dignity, its Republic, its leadership, and the ability to choose its own president.
Steandić emphasized that Bosnia and Herzegovina should not give up on the European path, despite its citizens and officials having experienced numerous unpleasant situations from Europeans.
“Joining the EU would guarantee that there will be no war and conflicts in Bosnia and Herzegovina, which is most important for our children, and for that reason, we may sometimes have to ‘swallow a frog’, but we cannot remain without our property and dignity,” said Steandić to ATV.
He highlighted that the leadership of Republika Srpska, with President Milorad Dodik at the helm, has maintained an independent way of conducting foreign and domestic policies, which is why it is facing so many challenges.
Steandić pointed out that America not only has a large number of military bases worldwide but also has a significant influence in many countries, including Bosnia and Herzegovina, and he fully understands the policy of the geostrategic hegemon, where dissent is not allowed, and those who do are sanctioned, like the officials of Republika Srpska.
“Still, they do not own our lives and our politics. What we see is that European and American principles are not the same; namely, Americans have taken off the gloves in Bosnia and Herzegovina,” Steandić stated.
He added that after the agreement in Laktaši, everyone remained silent for three days, and then the US ambassador to Bosnia and Herzegovina, Michael Murphy, stated that the agreement was invalid.
“After that, the ‘troika’ got scared, ‘pulled the handbrake’, showing that they do not conduct a sovereign policy and that it is not worth making agreements with them,” Steandić pointed out.
He emphasized that the beginning of March might bring “some very pleasant surprises” regarding negotiations on the European path.
According to him, despite the opposition’s claims that Republika Srpska is isolated, numerous meetings, especially with ambassadors from both the West and the East, show that Republika Srpska has an active diplomatic presence, which yields results.
“We must defend many things in these activities because we are under attack, but it is an opportunity for Republika Srpska to have greater visibility,” Steandić emphasized.
He stated that officials of Republika Srpska have never given up “even when they stumbled, they did not fall.”
Steandić mentioned that Dodik, under tremendous pressure, made several significant decisions recently.
“He could have chosen not to sign the laws I delivered to him if he had thought about his own skin. However, he did not; he thought about the property of Republika Srpska. We are becoming topic number one increasingly from the perspective of those who respect the struggle of a people and its leadership for its sovereignty and the right to decide on its own destiny,” Steandić emphasized.
Source: RTRS
