Dodik before Orban: If property is touched, RS will immediately decide on independent status

(Patria) - Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban is visiting Banja Luka today, and the President of RS, Milorad Dodik, presented him with the Order of RS and thanked him for accepting the decoration.

"We give this to great and true friends," said Dodik.

Hungary and RS cooperate in all fields, and we have developed a good friendship that we want to pass on to our people. I am grateful for your commitment. Serbs and Hungarians are peoples who are connected and should understand and cooperate at the highest possible level. And this is not directed against anyone else," said Dodik.

Orban said that he remembers when they voted in parliament on the recognition of BiH.

"I saw how Serbs fight for their place in this new era. It is very difficult when a nation has to find its place in the world, and it is always harder for their leaders. Serbs and Hungarians, wherever they live, are always neighbors, regardless of borders. The essence is not that our countries are neighbors, but that our peoples are neighbors," stated Orban.

He said that international policy towards Serbs is unjust.

"In Hungary, it is said that there are people who only see others' mistakes, and always see themselves in the best light. They treat Serbia unjustly. In Europe, they do not recognize that Europe needs Serbs. Without Serbs, there is no European security and a healthy EU. Without Serbs, there is no stability in Europe. Today, there is no better framework where our peoples can strengthen than the EU. A decision should have been made long ago for you to join – I am talking about BiH and Serbia. Our position is that the process towards the south should be completed, and after that, we can deal with expansion towards the east," said Orban.


Dodik said that today they are celebrating a friend who is visiting RS.

"Only visible results remain behind us. Successful cooperation in the agricultural program, infrastructure, education, and culture. It is necessary to build upon this in the fields of sports, tourism, and all other areas available to us," stated Dodik.

"We believed that the negotiation status meant handing over the process to us, and that we would make decisions, and that foreigners would stop doing it. We demand that what belongs to us belongs to RS and that it cannot be attacked by anyone. We want to strengthen our autonomy by moving towards the EU, and only an agreement within BiH is a guarantee for Europe to accept us. We cannot accept the measures of foreigners. We are convinced that what the illegal Schmidt has done is an attack on us and on Europe, that someone does not want stability," said Dodik.

He said that RS does not intend to allow its property to be lost.

"If that happens, RS will immediately decide on its independent status. That issue is resolved and cannot be on the agenda," said Dodik.

In his address, Orban said that one country cannot start a negotiation process while someone from outside interferes and makes decisions.

"This is bad for the EU and for Serbs, Croats, Bosniaks, and for BiH. The country must not be destabilized for some external interests," said Orban.