Strong messages came from Moscow following the meeting between the President of Republika Srpska, Milorad Dodik, and Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov.
Lavrov stated that Russia strongly condemns attempts to fabricate criminal cases in order to remove the legitimately elected President of Republika Srpska, Milorad Dodik, who is “unpleasant for the West but a friend of Russia.” He emphasized that the West, through the self-proclaimed Christian Schmidt, is carrying out a coup in BiH.
President Dodik, grateful to Russia for its understanding of the situation and for insisting on the consistent implementation of the Dayton Peace Agreement, asked the Russian foreign minister for help within the UN system in closing the OHR and ensuring the departure of foreign judges from the BiH Constitutional Court.
Lavrov underlined that Russia, as a guarantor of Dayton, insists on its consistent application, while the West seeks indivisible control over BiH by stripping Serbs of rights guaranteed under Dayton and turning BiH into a unitary state. He announced that the UN Security Council will discuss BiH on October 31, during Russia’s presidency, and that “many colleagues will face very unpleasant but fully legitimate questions.”
Dodik pointed out that Schmidt is the generator of crisis in BiH, stressing that he was not appointed in line with UN procedures and is “part of the occupation” imposed on BiH for the last 30 years. He noted that Schmidt even introduced provisions to send anyone who disobeys his decisions to prison, which Dodik, as president of Republika Srpska, refused to accept.
Lavrov described Schmidt as a self-styled figure embodying the West’s policy of “color revolutions” and coups. He also stressed that the referendum planned in Republika Srpska for October 25, on Schmidt’s illegitimate decisions and the unconstitutional BiH Court, is legitimate, even though the West refuses to hear the voice of the people.
“Independence of Kosovo was proclaimed without a referendum, yet the transparent referendum in Crimea was rejected. The West does not want to hear the voice of the people,” Lavrov said.
Dodik reiterated that Republika Srpska and the Serb people have never threatened war, have no plans for violent separation, and that Srpska voluntarily entered BiH with its sovereignty. He expressed gratitude to President Putin and Minister Lavrov for their understanding and support.
Lavrov also addressed peoples in BiH and leaders in the Federation, urging them to honor the Dayton Peace Agreement, warning that dismantling the consensus in BiH would be “a crime and an invitation to another war in the Balkans,” designed to violate Serb rights in BiH as was done in Kosovo and Metohija.
Source: RTRS
