Dodik: RS has no plan to carry out secession, citizens should not be afraid

(Patria) - Milorad Dodik, member of the BiH Presidency and SNSD president, held a press conference after the meeting in the BiH Presidency, during which he lashed out at the American administration. 

He said that he also told USAID administrator Samantha Power that "their officials have a hidden agenda to move towards the centralization of BiH and that not all sides are respected."

"We remain committed to peace and we are not ready and will not put the status of RS in focus to jeopardize peace. We will continue to respect the Constitution and that the reforms that have been implemented were carried out under some violence. My remarks referred to the fact that the High Representative has no right to pass laws," he said. 

Dodik specifically spoke about the US, accusing them of interfering in the internal affairs of BiH.

"Who invited and gave America the right to deal with that issue in BiH? And that represents serious interference in the internal affairs of BiH," Dodik said, adding that "they are rummaging through the BiH Prosecutor's Office and looking for something against him." 

Speaking about the work of state institutions, Dodik emphasized that, based on a request from Aleksandar Vučić, a meeting with the opposition will be held to consider that request.

"I think that such a process is underway in RS. RS has determined that it can, i.e., its representatives can participate in work when it is in the interest of RS. We will conduct a dialogue, and through some format acceptable to all, we will hold some talks with the opposition. The reason why we withdrew from the institutions still stands. There are some proposals from our side as well. If they already want to regulate that story about penalties, crimes, it will include banning the labeling of RS as genocidal and Serbs as genocidal," he said. 

He welcomed the statements of the NATO commander who said there is no need for the deployment of NATO forces.

"The security of citizens in BiH is not threatened, citizens should not be afraid. RS has no plan nor any movement to carry out secession. But we adhere to the BiH Constitution and we want what belongs to RS. The Republika Srpska has no other choice but to continue according to the conclusions of the NSRS. No one threatens the territorial integrity of BiH, no one threatens territorial integrity," Dodik said.

He called the case in the BiH Prosecutor's Office regarding the "attack on the constitutional order" nonsense. 

Asked why he claims that the SDA is interfering in the internal affairs of BiH, but does not do so in the case of Turkey.

"The US is involved in operational management, no one invited them here to fight corruption. Erdogan is a great president and Turkey is a great country and Bosniaks are very much looking at what Turkey is doing. America is very involved here in individual solutions and interferes where it is not invited. America has not stated that it wants to participate in that conversation; it wants to eliminate Milorad Dodik and his party and prepare the opposition for victory in the elections," Dodik said.  

Dodik said that the method of electing the member of the BiH Presidency from RS cannot be changed. 

"We are for adding 'others' and satisfying ambitions. In the FBiH, for 15 years or less, 12, a debate has been ongoing on how the members of the Presidency will be elected. The moment they do that, we are ready to come and vote. As for the House of Peoples, we demand that where Serbs live and where they are concentrated, they have the right to elect their representatives. If that solution comes, we will vote for it as well. If there is no solution for the House of Peoples, we will not vote for the Presidency either. If they agree tonight, our people will go and vote," Dodik said.