President of Republika Srpska Milorad Dodik stated that there is no individual, movement, or political party in Republika Srpska calling for early elections, stressing that the push to remove him comes from Muslims in Sarajevo and foreign occupiers who want elections to be held under their conditions.
“Not even the opposition is asking for elections here, nor the unions, nor employers. Now we’re told we must hold elections because Sarajevo demands it. Where is the respect in that?” Dodik said.
He emphasized that he supports a constitutional Bosnia and Herzegovina, but not an unconstitutional one.
“I want to dismantle the anti-constitutional system. Isn’t that legitimate? I’m not tearing down the Constitution—I’m demanding its provisions be respected. If that happens, I have no problem with Bosnia and Herzegovina. But if not, why should I live in a country where every day we’re stripped of something, and now they tell us—‘you can’t even have your own president,’” Dodik stressed.
He pointed out that those working against Republika Srpska wanted to strip him of his political role because he speaks publicly and without hesitation, something they cannot tolerate.
Republika Srpska has already scheduled a referendum.
“There is a unanimous decision of our parliament to hold a referendum and ask citizens whether they want Christian Schmidt, who destroys democratic elections, an unconstitutional court, and the Central Election Commission of BiH, which strips legitimately elected representatives of their mandates,” Dodik reminded.
He reiterated that Republika Srpska has decided not to participate in the early elections but added that he has no problem if someone from his SNSD party runs and wins them.
“Our support is currently strong. The party itself is close to an outright majority, and my personal support stands at 62 percent. I do not fear elections. But this is not about elections—it’s about the Constitution of Republika Srpska, which states that a president can only be removed through resignation or a recall referendum,” Dodik explained.
He added that if the will of the people expressed in the referendum is not respected, Republika Srpska will organize a new referendum to seek independence.
“The situation at the level of BiH is unstable, but in Republika Srpska it is very stable,” Dodik concluded in the latest episode of Lara Logan’s Going Rogue podcast.
Who is Lara Logan?
Lara Logan is a multi-award-winning journalist who worked for CBS for over fifteen years and gained international recognition primarily for her fearless reporting from war zones in Iraq and Afghanistan.
Colleagues often described her as someone who went to the frontlines without hesitation to present the public with the most authentic picture of events.
Her reputation is backed by numerous international awards. She has received multiple Emmy Awards, the Edward R. Murrow Award, the Overseas Press Club Award, and the Alfred I. duPont–Columbia University Award, widely regarded as the broadcast journalism equivalent of the Pulitzer Prize.
Source: RTRS
