The Minister for Scientific-Technological Development and Higher Education of Republika Srpska, Željko Budimir, stated that the commencement of negotiations between BiH and the EU is unquestionable, primarily due to geopolitical circumstances rather than capacity building and reform processes. He added that BiH lacks sovereignty due to the presence of a so-called high representative and foreign judges.
Budimir believes the EU could also set a date for the start of negotiations because the standards previously proclaimed no longer apply.
“If Ukraine, which is in a state of open war, can enter the EU, and you have a hunt for Russians and the Russian language, violations of all possible human rights, then why not BiH?” Budimir questioned.
He pointed out that BiH faces serious issues regarding sovereignty, primarily due to the office of the so-called high representative and foreign judges in the Constitutional Court of BiH, and Brussels, which needs to decide BiH’s fate, is in a tough position as well.
“Since 2022, the EU has been in a vassal relationship with NATO and America. They forced the EU and all its institutions to take sides in the war against the Russian Federation. The EU was an attractive project for economic reasons. Now, Germany, which was the locomotive of development, is in recession,” emphasized Budimir.
He stated that amending Dayton, advocated by some under the guise of aligning legislation with the EU, is unacceptable.
“The Dayton Peace Agreement is absolutely compatible. Even the institutions envisioned in BiH and by the Dayton Agreement are very similar to those in the EU. Thus, we must not allow the demand for reforming the BiH Constitution, i.e., the Dayton Agreement, as a condition for EU accession,” said Budimir.
He highlighted that Republika Srpska’s President Milorad Dodik defends the Dayton Agreement, which conflicts with the interests of some embassies, leading to trials against him and the acting director of the Official Gazette, Miloš Lukić.
“It’s no coincidence that the President of Srpska is being tried. He symbolically and politically represents the resistance to the dismantling of Republika Srpska’s institutions at this moment. He has stopped that process,” Budimir explained.
He pointed out that, unlike in the Federation of BiH where political parties are under foreigners’ control, the political situation in Srpska is clear because the SNSD, led by Dodik, conducts an autonomous policy, opposing international interventionism.
“This is a policy of preserving BiH. We are not adventurers planning to do this or that. We must use all legal and political means to protect the interests of Republika Srpska,” Budimir emphasized.
He added that Dodik’s greatest achievement was preventing BiH’s entry into NATO and made it clear he would not yield to the pressures of foreigners or the so-called high representative.
“They are mistaken if they don’t know Srpska or its leadership. None of us will allow the top official of Republika Srpska to be tried. It raises the question, what else are we supposed to do in BiH if you’re prosecuting the highest political authority of Republika Srpska? What is a mayor of a municipality supposed to do when given a task? What is a minister supposed to do? Everything loses its meaning. And they know it,” Budimir stressed.
Budimir remarked that certain opposition leaders from Republika Srpska, claiming the trial against Dodik in the Court of BiH is not against Srpska but against one person, either pretend not to understand or genuinely do not grasp the facts.
He advised ignoring the individuals’ names and surnames because the institutions of Srpska are being defended here.
“These are times when you either stand in defense of Republika Srpska, the least common denominator in that strategy of resistance to such pressure from Sarajevo, or you’re on the other side,” Budimir emphasized, noting that if Srpska and its institutions are not defended now, there will be nothing to defend later.
He added that Dodik is the greatest leader in Republika Srpska, as shown by elections, whether someone likes it or not.
Commenting on the repeated mention of imposing an electoral law in BiH, Budimir stated that Republika Srpska, through clear political messages and activities, said that if the electoral law in BiH is imposed, it will enact its electoral law and conduct elections in accordance with it.
Budimir said Srpska has the full capacity to conduct elections.
He mentioned that the law on state property still poses a threat to Srpska, recalling that Srpska’s representatives have clearly stated that the entity will have to take a different path if its property is seized.
“For now, it seems that process has slowed down. The danger still exists alongside the European integration process, and that’s why it’s crucial for a Serb to be the negotiator. Bosniaks see European integrations as an opportunity to sell the civic package story of democratic principles and the one man-one vote principle, where they aim to achieve this tyranny of the majority. The essence in post-conflict societies is consociational democracy. Nothing can happen outside of consensus,” Budimir emphasized.
He highlighted that the world is in the process of multipolarization and there’s a misunderstanding by the West regarding political processes in the rest of the world, thus disputing the presidential elections in Russia due to not understanding Russian history.
“They are not aware that the Russian people, when under pressure, always unite around their leader, giving him absolute trust to lead them through these difficult circumstances,” Budimir emphasized.
Source: RTRS
