Is silence a sign of approval and shared views? Following yesterday’s insults and profanity by a Sarajevo-based journalist directed at SNSD MPs in the building of the Parliamentary Assembly of BiH—primarily Sanja Vulić and Milorad Kojić—there has been no reaction from the Sarajevo establishment. And this is not an exception. Reactions have been absent on many previous occasions as well—when Serbian property, symbols, Serbs, Republika Srpska, or Serbia were targeted by radical Sarajevo “patriots” and self-proclaimed moralists.
Loud condemnation, however, is coming from Republika Srpska, along with a clear message: you will not intimidate us nor stop us from defending its interests. A response will also be expected from the judicial institutions of BiH, as MPs from Republika Srpska have announced criminal complaints over hate speech.
From streets, sports fields and hospitality venues to religious sites, Serbs have for years witnessed what is described as provincial primitivism, anti-Serb hatred and chauvinism in Sarajevo. Slogans such as “Kill a Serb” and “Serbs to the willows,” along with numerous other insults and threats, are cited as examples. This time, a part of that rhetoric has entered the shared political arena, allegedly triggered by constitution-based political positions that Sarajevo “moralists” do not accept.
“We are asking what comes next—will they ban our entry or block our exit from the building? What matters is that colleague Kojić and I will file a criminal complaint to the Prosecutor’s Office of BiH regarding this incident. This will be an opportunity to see whether the law is the same for everyone,” said Vulić.
While waiting for a judicial response, reactions from Republika Srpska officials continue. Željka Cvijanović stated that attacks on representatives of Republika Srpska are not just attacks on individuals, but on the dignity and will of the Serb people.
Condemnation also came from the House of Peoples of BiH, with a consistent message: Republika Srpska will not be stopped in defending its constitutional position and competences.
“Imagine if a journalist in Banja Luka told a Sarajevo politician ‘go away’ using ethnic slurs—there would be universal condemnation. Here, everyone remains silent,” said Radovan Kovačević.
According to the statements, Sarajevo media outlets that usually report even minor incidents of intolerance in Republika Srpska have not covered this case. Criticism is also directed at academic and cultural circles in Sarajevo, described as selectively silent.
Milorad Dodik stated that Serbs in BiH feel threatened and accused political actors in Sarajevo of attempting to strip Republika Srpska of its competencies, including through issues such as excise taxes.
The incident was reportedly triggered during a debate on jurisdiction over excise duties on imported oil and derivatives, after which the journalist allegedly resorted to insults.
- “This is uncivilized and unacceptable. It is especially concerning coming from people who should contribute to a better future, yet behave as if it were April 1992,” said sociologist Vladimir Vasić.
The message concludes that Sarajevo must recognize the changed political reality, emphasizing that Republika Srpska today has its constitutional and Dayton-based institutions, unlike in the past.
Source: RTRS
