Minister of Trade and Economic Relations in the Council of Ministers, Staša Košarac, stated in an interview with RT Balkan at the forum in St. Petersburg that Russians and Serbs are freedom-loving peoples whose policies are based on truth and historical facts, not falsifications.
Reflecting on Russia’s vote in the UN General Assembly against the resolution on Srebrenica, Košarac thanked Russia and Russian President Vladimir Putin for standing with the Serbian people. He noted that more countries voted against or abstained than those who supported the resolution, which “shows the correctness of our policy.”
- We (Serbs) and Russians are freedom-loving peoples. We only want to affirm the truth. We do not wish to offend anyone or use historical falsifications as some do. We have the right to our connection with the Russian people, he said, adding that the friendly ties between President Vladimir Putin, President Aleksandar Vučić, and President Milorad Dodik strengthen our position and provide a good foundation for further developing economic ties. These are serious political benefits for us, Košarac stated.
He recalled that the Council of Ministers initiated discussions on bringing BiH closer to BRICS, but this has not progressed due to the subservient attitude towards the European Union and the United States.
- We (Republika Srpska) do not have such an attitude. We pursue our fundamental, independent policy that does not depend on foreigners. I believe that BRICS is a good economic opportunity, and we should work on this issue, Košarac said, adding that Srpska, as the “locomotive of the process in BiH,” will call for discussions on “good practices” such as BRICS.
Membership in BRICS, he believes, would strengthen the economy of BiH. Unlike some, we do not want to be exploited and drained by foreigners, and I am confident that we will pave the way for our relations with BRICS because soon, the time will come when we will independently define our path without interference from others, Košarac said.
He also mentioned that the President of Republika Srpska, Milorad Dodik, is “the most sincere friend of Russia in BiH” and that he and Serbs in BiH face strong pressure from foreigners who pursue a “hostile policy” towards Srpska because of this and their refusal to impose sanctions on Russia. However, he emphasized that this will not affect Banja Luka’s sincere and friendly policy towards Moscow.
Source: RTRS
