President of Republika Srpska, Milorad Dodik, stated during his address at the special session of the National Assembly that the Dayton Peace Agreement is much more than just a peace accord for Republika Srpska—it is a guarantee of peace and of its rights.
“The Dayton Agreement wasn’t perfect, but it worked. It wasn’t a utopia—it was real, and it achieved its primary goal. For thirty years, it has preserved peace, not because it confirmed Republika Srpska, created the Federation of BiH and Bosnia and Herzegovina, but because it acknowledged them as they are—with all their specificities, complexities, and yes, differences,” Dodik said, marking the 30th anniversary of the signing of the Dayton Agreement.
He emphasized that Republika Srpska values and insists on the respect of the Dayton Agreement, recalling that:
- It was ratified by the National Assembly of Republika Srpska, and
- The day of its signing was declared a state holiday, a symbol that Serbs and Republika Srpska celebrate peace.
“In contrast, the Federation of BiH never ratified it, and instead of celebrating the day peace was established, they celebrate the day the war began,” Dodik added.
Quoting Nobel laureate Ivo Andrić, Dodik reminded that in Bosnia, “people are always at war—with others, with themselves, and with their delusions.” Yet, Dayton brought an end to that war, allowing people to return to their homes and families.
He noted that Annex IV of the Dayton Agreement, which is the Constitution of BiH, created a new political system and removed the root causes of the war—which, according to him, did not begin due to ethnic tensions, but due to the violation of the principle of equality.
Dodik further pointed out that the Dayton Agreement is not just a suggestion or declaration, but a binding treaty:
“It was written, agreed upon, and signed by all parties—Republika Srpska, the Federation of BiH, Serbia, Croatia, and the illegitimate Alija Izetbegović in the name of a so-called Bosnia and Herzegovina, in reality, in the name of the Bosniak Muslims—under full support of the US, France, UK, Russia, Germany, and the EU.”
For thirty years, Republika Srpska has abided by this agreement, he said:
“Even when we strongly disagreed or were attacked, we upheld what we had signed. While Bosniak politicians now seek a model of BiH that led to war in the 1990s, Republika Srpska firmly defends peace by defending Dayton.”
He concluded by stating that:
“Every fight for Dayton is not only a fight for the rights of Republika Srpska—it is a fight for peace, the Constitution of BiH, and for preventing future conflict. No matter the attacks, slander, or false accusations—we, by respecting Dayton, are the ones defending peace.”
Source: RTRS
