Milorad's 'cataloning' for nothing

By: Haris LJEVO

The Catalan independence referendum has been a great opportunity for all those who fantasize about the Republika Srpska's secession from Bosnia and Herzegovina to make their point. 

Many of them seized the opportunity to point out that Catalans have a right to declare independence from hateful Madrid as they cannot bear Madrid's maltreatment any longer.

Following the referendum which saw 90% of people voting in favor of secession, the European Commission declared the referendum illegal and therefore not recognized by the EU.

The EU displayed its attitude towards territorial integrity of Spain during the first election day when not one of its high officials condemned brutality of Spanish police over the citizens of Catalonia.

Condemnation came only from those politicians who in possible Catalan independence saw the opportunity for their own chance to secess from their mother states.

The day after the referendum, the strongest condemnation came from Vucic, Dacic and Dodik. As expected, they accused the EU officials of hypocrisy. Vucic wondered how come that those who endorsed independence of Kosovo could not come to terms with the Catalan referendum.

The EU swiftly responded by saying that those two could not be compared.

Serbia's foreign minister Ivica Dacic found himself at the crossroads: he cares about Spanish territorial integrity because of Kosovo, however, because of the RS he doesn't really mind the Catalan independence. Dacic wondered how come some Serbian politicians went to Barcelona and not to Banja Luka.

Vucic-Dacic-Dodik trio found themselves in a difficult situation – it was impossible to label the EU officials as hypocrites without becoming hypocritical themselves as regards their relations with BiH and Kosovo.

The international law experts agreed that Catalonia, Kosovo and the RS did not have any common denominator, as much as the main characters of Serbian and Republika Srspka have tried to prove the opposite.

When it comes to Catalonia, both opinion pro and con the independence from Spain are quite legitimate, however, what neither side disagrees with is that Catalonia is a historical fact which used to be on its own.

Catalonia has a wealth of political, cultural, sports and every other history that is, everything that Republika Srpska lacks.

The Republika Srpska was created a quarter of the century ago by brutal killings, rape, driving people out of their homes, by burning down religious and cultural buildings.

So any connection between Catalonia and the RS, or Barcelona and Banja Luka - does not make any sense.

Vucic, Dacic and Dodik are well aware of that.