A meeting between the President of Republika Srpska, Milorad Dodik, and Rod Blagojevich, former governor of Illinois and close associate of U.S. President Donald Trump, was held today at the Palace of the Republic.
Christian Schmidt, an unelected bureaucrat, treats Republika Srpska as his personal colony, and that is why I feel it is my duty to inform President Donald Trump about the injustice being committed against the Serb people, Blagojevich stated after the meeting with Dodik.
He expressed expectations for changes in the relationship between the Serb and American peoples, as well as between the government of Republika Srpska and the U.S. administration.
The Serb people deserve to reposition themselves in the United States, said Dodik, emphasizing that Republika Srpska supports President Trump, who, he noted, has already taken certain actions in their favor—such as reducing the malign influence of NGOs funded by USAID, whose operations Trump restricted early in his term.
Blagojevich, whose roots lie in Herzegovina and Šumadija, began his address at the Palace in Serbian, thanking President Dodik for advocating and fighting for the Serb people.
“We want to bring Republika Srpska closer to Rod Blagojevich so that he can learn everything about it and do all he can to assist in positioning Republika Srpska in relation to the U.S., in the way we believe we deserve,” Dodik stated.
Blagojevich is expected to inform the American people and officials about what is currently happening to Srpska and the Serb people, and to work on establishing stronger ties between the Serb and American nations.
“I truly will, when I return to the United States, do everything I can to inform the people responsible for U.S. policy. A new day has dawned in America. I have great hopes for the future here, for the relationship between the Serb and American peoples, and for the relationship between you and our government, because Trump’s foreign policy can be summarized as this: President Trump opposes everything that former U.S. presidents Joe Biden and Barack Obama stood for,” Blagojevich said.
The consequences of their decisions were felt by the Serb people and their legitimately elected leaders. Dodik confirmed this, noting that several previous U.S. administrations caused problems for the Serbs by imposing foreign-influenced stereotypes and restrictions.
“Trump, through several of his public statements, made it clear that America has no intention of interfering in the internal affairs of other countries. We interpret that as a call to return to agreements within Bosnia and Herzegovina. We should try to ensure that Trump’s approach to nations seeking their own path helps us—no foreign intervention can bring happiness to a country,” Dodik emphasized.
And Bosnia and Herzegovina still cannot free itself from foreign intervention—not even from Christian Schmidt, who has appointed himself a sort of viceroy and treats Republika Srpska as a colony, Blagojevich warned. One is not allowed to think differently or to celebrate the Day of Republika Srpska, as that could lead to persecution, as is the case with President Dodik.
“As an American of Serb origin, who knows the current president and is on good terms with him, I believe I will be able to speak with him and with those around him about what is happening here. I think, once he learns about it—given that he is a brave man unafraid to act—that he will do something,” Blagojevich said.
The goal of this process, Dodik pointed out, is to use judicial institutions to ban political activity by people from Republika Srpska. He asked: who would dare take action in the interest of Republika Srpska if they knew a trial in Sarajevo awaits them? He was unequivocal—Schmidt’s decisions must be annulled because they are not legally grounded.
“Schmidt must either leave or be confirmed by the UN Security Council, as proposed by the Serb member and Chairwoman of the BiH Presidency, Željka Cvijanović. If he is confirmed, then he will be legal. Until that happens, Republika Srpska has no reason to engage with him. Imagine someone showing up at your house claiming to be the owner—how would that be acceptable anywhere?” Dodik asked.
The meeting at the Palace was also attended by Serb member and Chairwoman of the BiH Presidency, Željka Cvijanović, who emphasized that it is a great honor for Banja Luka and Republika Srpska to host a friend and compatriot from America, and a former governor of a U.S. state.
“We discussed many important topics—the political situation in Srpska and Bosnia and Herzegovina, the need to reaffirm Serb-American relations, and the strengthening of ties between Republika Srpska and the U.S., especially with the Trump administration,” said Cvijanović.
She expressed confidence that Blagojevich, who knows Trump well, will help ensure that the voice of Republika Srpska is heard more strongly than ever at many important addresses in the United States.
Source: RTRS
