President of Republika Srpska Milorad Dodik addressed the National Assembly of Republika Srpska, emphasizing that the migration crisis has entered a new phase and that Republika Srpska must respond accordingly.
“Given the current processes and the significant number of migrants passing through here on their way to the European Union, we are now entering a new stage. When Angela Merkel, as the German Chancellor, invited migrants to the EU, we witnessed a mass exodus from the Middle East, Africa, and other regions,” Dodik stated.
He added that during that period, Republika Srpska endured pressure from migrants, who endangered public safety.
“People felt unsafe. There’s not a single field meeting we hold where citizens don’t express fear of migrants settling in abandoned buildings. There is evidence of attacks on property and people,” Dodik noted.
He said that Republika Srpska initially responded by proposing transit centers within its territory.
“However, we were then asked to provide long-term accommodation centers, even employment opportunities for migrants. Later came demands for enrolling their children in schools. That was a red flag for us—prompting us to establish checkpoints and reject such approaches,” he emphasized.
Dodik stated that the government of Republika Srpska is continuously addressing the migrant issue, recognizing that the problem persists and is now emerging in a new form that could threaten the very existence of the local population.
“Recognizing the danger, we must act preventively and define how Republika Srpska will approach this issue within Bosnia and Herzegovina. Regardless of ethnicity or religion, the experiences we gained during the first wave—when migrants tried to cross the border toward the EU—now reveal a new phase, one that involves legal and contractual arrangements for their stay here,” Dodik explained.
He told MPs that the documents provided clearly show that Republika Srpska authorities are acting responsibly.
“Republika Srpska clearly expresses its position on these issues. We have no ethnic or other ambitions, but we do have the right to manage affairs, relations, and other matters on our own territory. While migration is a state-level competence, considering that Republika Srpska is a key decision-making factor in Bosnia and Herzegovina, I found it appropriate to place this topic on the Assembly agenda so that we can express our preventive stance and clearly warn others of the dangers,” he added.
He also revealed that the Council of Ministers previously adopted a secret decision to establish three migrant camps in Republika Srpska—without consulting its authorities.
“This alone shows how much fear the decision-makers had about this issue and how little respect they showed for Republika Srpska,” Dodik said.
Dodik concluded firmly:
“Republika Srpska is not, and will not be, a hub for the failed migration policies of other countries.”
In the draft declaration rejecting initiatives by the UK government, the EU, and its member states to establish migrant centers in Bosnia and Herzegovina—particularly in Republika Srpska—the National Assembly stresses that it rejects all acts, negotiations, plans, or memoranda that would involve Bosnia and Herzegovina in such processes without the explicit consent of Republika Srpska.
“The National Assembly of Republika Srpska particularly highlights the danger that such plans represent a continuation of efforts to permanently alter the demographic structure of Republika Srpska, through silent Islamization and the targeted settlement of migrants in Serb areas—as demonstrated in the village of Lipa near Bihać.”
Source: RTRS
