Serbia must calm secessionist passions in Banja Luka so as not to lose Vojvodina

The League of Social Democrats of Vojvodina (LSV) condemned and views with great concern the latest statements by Serbian President Tomislav Nikolić, who said that the unconstitutional referendum in Republika Srpska should not be a dead letter on paper and that it represents the will of the citizens.

- We are telling Tomislav Nikolić, if the legal decisions of the highest judicial institutions of a sovereign state can be overturned in referendums organized in a part of the state territory, then LSV proposes that we introduce a similar practice in Serbia – it was stated from LSV, reports Patria.

The authorities in Republika Srpska held a referendum on the celebration of January 9th as the Day of RS, which the Court had previously declared unconstitutional. The referendum was temporarily banned by the Constitutional Court of BiH, but the authorities from Banja Luka did not wish to comply with the Court's decision. The referendum was held on Sunday. The authorities say that slightly more than 50 percent of voters turned out for the referendum, and that voters almost 100 percent supported celebrating January 9th as the Day of RS.

Analysts estimate that the voter turnout was less than 50 percent, and that it showed that more than half of the citizens in RS do not actually support the secessionist policy of Milorad Dodik. The referendum was also condemned by the international community.
Official Belgrade had previously distanced itself from the referendum in RS, but Nikolić later said that the referendum showed the 'will of the citizens' and that it should not remain a 'dead letter on paper'.

- Nikolić has once again shamed Serbia and its citizens and exposed them to risk, joining the most extreme parts of our society with his stance - assessed the president of LSV, Nenad Čanak.

- LSV proposes that 'a referendum be held in Vojvodina on whether citizens accept, we said even then, the shameful decision of the Constitutional Court of Serbia from three years ago, on the abolition of the Statute of Vojvodina and on the fact that Novi Sad cannot be our capital city.'

Čanak states in the statement that the League of Social Democrats of Vojvodina strongly condemns 'Tomislav Nikolić's warmongering rhetoric, because he referred to neighboring and sovereign states in his address as 'Serbian lands'.

Belgrade has a huge influence on the authorities in Banja Luka. Analysts believe that because of this, the authorities in Serbia should do everything to calm the secessionist passions in Banja Luka. Because, the secession of RS from Bosnia and Herzegovina would lead to the secession of Vojvodina and Sandžak from Serbia.

- Our neighbors have their internationally recognized names, and the rhetoric about 'Serbian lands' was part of the war policy that Nikolić supported and actively participated in, and which, with such statements, he seems to be invoking again - claims Čanak, reports NAP.