Salkić's reaction to accusations and labeling of Bosniaks in the RS entity

SARAJEVO, (Patria) - Ramiz Salkić, Vice-President of the RS entity, stated today that pressure is being exerted on Bosniaks in the RS entity by the authorities to portray Bosniaks as radical, and thereby justify the crimes committed by their predecessors against Bosniaks in public.

Reacting to the latest developments, when authorities and certain media in Serbia and the RS entity accused prominent Bosniaks in this entity of attempting to attack officials of Serbia and the RS entity, Salkić called on the OHR and state authorities to provide protection to individuals and their families who have been shamefully accused of what they did not do.

"Pressure on Bosniaks in the RS entity has been continuously exerted in various ways since the very return to this part of Bosnia and Herzegovina, after the end of the armed aggression against our country. This pressure at the very beginning of the return after the aggression was reflected in security threats. It should be recalled that 13 returnees were killed and dozens were wounded during the return process. Do we need to remind that no one has been punished for these attacks, murders, and injuries. Although Bosniaks decided to return and live in peace in their homes, they have not stopped being harassed to this day. Even though genocide was committed against us, we have not committed any retaliatory actions, even though we encounter those whom we reasonably suspect of killing our loved ones on a daily basis. Through the implementation of systemic discrimination in education and apartheid, Bosniaks are prevented from studying and using the Bosnian language as our mother tongue. This is the most obvious example of the violation of the European Convention on Human Rights and Fundamental Freedoms on European soil, and yet no one reacts or sanctions the authorities in this entity that are doing this," Salkić stated.

According to him, there is a "classic economic persecution of Bosniaks from this part of our homeland. There are no places in hospitals and health centers for Bosniaks in this entity, no places in Elektroprivreda, Telekom, agencies, and entity bodies, no places in local communities for Bosniaks, thereby preventing the right to work and existence in this part of our homeland, which causes the emigration of Bosniaks."

"Today, Bosniaks are being satanized through the media in this entity and presented as a threat to individuals and institutions, thereby forming an opinion among the Serb people that we are their enemies and that we are here to inflict evil upon them.
The latest pressures, as part of a special war against Bosnia and Herzegovina and Bosniaks, include accusations against prominent Bosniaks in this entity that they were preparing some attacks. What is certain is that these are reputable citizens of Bratunac, Janja, and Bosnia and Herzegovina. The activities of para-intelligence services and foreign services in this entity must be investigated by state institutions, and their hostile intentions must be thwarted in their inception. The authorities in this entity are carrying out all these activities with the aim of radicalizing Bosniaks, so that they can justify in public the crimes committed by their predecessors against Bosniaks, for which they were convicted before the International Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia in The Hague for genocide and a joint criminal enterprise against Bosniaks and other patriots of this country," Salkić stated.

He called on state authorities to provide protection to individuals and their families who have been shamefully accused of what they did not do, thereby being marked as targets for Serb extremists.

"I expect the OHR to finally understand the full seriousness and destructiveness of the separatist activities advocated and implemented by Milorad Dodik, which seriously endanger peace and stability in Bosnia and Herzegovina," Salkić concluded.