President of Republika Srpska, Milorad Dodik, stated that the Serbian people and Republika Srpska desire peace and respect for the Dayton Peace Agreement but cannot remain in Bosnia and Herzegovina where efforts are made to demonize them.
“We want respect for Dayton, not a Bosnia and Herzegovina where they want to impose a unitary concept. The only guarantee for freedom and remembrance of Serb suffering can be Republika Srpska and nothing less than what was written in Dayton,” Dodik emphasized in his speech at Šušnjar, near Sanski Most, marking 83 years since the Ustaša massacre of 5,500 Serbs and 50 Jews.
Dodik pointed out that certain forces are again targeting the leadership of Republika Srpska, aiming to undermine its authority and punish it for asserting that Republika Srpska wants to determine its own fate.
“In the coming months, it will become clear in which direction Bosnia and Herzegovina is heading. I’ve heard in many places that Republika Srpska was a temporary story. If they dismantle Srpska, it will lead to another exodus, and there will be no more youth left. Srpska must be defended and united,” Dodik stressed.
He reiterated his pride in the Declaration from the All-Serbian Assembly, adopted in the parliaments of Republika Srpska and Serbia, noting that this document reflects the responsibility of Serbian representatives and provides guidelines for preserving national identity.
“We are not Bosnian Serbs; our state is Republika Srpska! We wish all the best for Serbia and rejoice in its development. We cannot be in a Bosnia and Herzegovina where they seek to demonize us. We will fight to maintain the Dayton status and will not agree to the notion that Bosnia and Herzegovina is our country. This is evident in Šušnjar, where, if not for the local priest, this place wouldn’t even be mowed. There isn’t even a representative from the local government here. That is Bosnia and Herzegovina,” Dodik emphasized.
Dodik reminded that in 1991, more than 20,000 Serbs lived in Sanski Most, but according to the latest census, there are now fewer than 2,000, with the actual number being much lower.
“What is that? What do you call it? We will always return here to speak about the suffering,” Dodik stated.
Dodik urged that despite everything, Serbs must celebrate life.
“Only our lives and our memory will ensure that the fallen are never forgotten. Long live the Serb people, long live Republika Srpska, and long live Serbia! Let’s celebrate our freedom and never forget that we are a good people who have endured numerous sufferings,” Dodik concluded.
Source: RTRS
