Nenad Stevandić, Speaker of the National Assembly of Republika Srpska, spoke in the Telering program about President Milorad Dodik’s visit to Russia and the meetings he held there.
Stevandić recalled that Dodik met in Moscow with the Secretary of the Security Council of the Russian Federation, Sergei Shoigu, and earlier with Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov.
During his meeting with Dodik, Lavrov noted that Russia will assume the presidency of the UN Security Council in October and that some uncomfortable questions will be raised.
“Russia is currently a country at the center of a major global stage—whether things will go their way or not. We have found ourselves in that crossfire, and some view us as a Russian proxy, which is not true. I would not underestimate Dodik. Before leaving for Russia, many foreign officials sought contact with him,” Stevandić said.
When asked about the significance of Lavrov’s message and to whom it was directed, Stevandić emphasized that it was aimed at Christian Schmidt and those backing him.
“Lavrov sent a message to Schmidt, but also to those standing behind him. He didn’t send a message to us—we already know what he thinks about us. We must win. Victory means preserving property, institutions, territorial integrity, and the structure of Republika Srpska, as well as the right to make decisions independently,” Stevandić concluded.
He added that Republika Srpska pursues an active diplomatic policy with both East and West.
“Christian Schmidt is not a UN diplomat—he is a diplomat from Germany. We have activated every possible mechanism, and all these matters are public. There is not a single diplomat in Croatia who doesn’t know everything about the issue of high representatives. In the Slovenian parliament, we submitted all documents related to the appointment of high representatives. I went into every parliament, we worked seriously, and it shows. That’s why Željka Cvijanović ‘jumped ten steps ahead’ with her visit to the US. When Konaković was in America—it was tragic. He didn’t enter a single building,” Stevandić said.
He stressed that Cvijanović’s visit was good for Republika Srpska but also beneficial for BiH.
“It saddens me that Sarajevo targets this. She fought for equality and the preservation of peace in BiH. She didn’t go to do harm to Bosniaks. Wherever we go, they are not our topic. Our topic is constitutional functioning,” Stevandić explained.
He added that nothing is done behind the backs of Bosniaks or Croats, but that every people has the right to self-determination.
“Republika Srpska has achieved legal and diplomatic victories, and Dodik has paid for that by jeopardizing his own safety. The game is not over yet. We do not want conflicts. Either we are equal—or BiH does not exist,” Stevandić concluded.
Source: RTRS
