Dodik: "It started; there is no going back"

As the transfer of competencies to the level of BiH is interrupted, a new phase begins for Republika Srpska, exercising its rights given by the BiH Constitution

Dodik: "It started; there is no going back"

As the transfer of competencies to the level of BiH is interrupted, a new phase begins for Republika Srpska, exercising its rights given by the BiH Constitution

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Foto: EPA-EFE/Stephanie Lecocq

"As the transfer of competencies to the level of BiH is interrupted, a new phase begins in which the Republika Srpska will show its ability to exercise the rights given to it by the Constitution of Bosnia-Herzegovina", Serbian member of the Presidency of BiH, Milorad Dodik, said announcing that the Day of the Republika Srpska will be celebrated "very powerfully".

"Republika Srpska is not taking anything from Bosnia-Herzegovina or the Federation with its efforts to return the stolen competencies. What was done by violence on the part of high representatives will be re-examined because it was not done under legitimate and legal circumstances," Dodik said on Wednesday night in the show "Telering" on RTRS, announcing that Republika Srpska will form its High Judicial and Prosecutorial Council in January.

He pointed out that a ceremonial academy will be held on the occasion of the National Day, January 9, and that it will be shown that Srpska, as he stated, became aware of itself and its constitutional powers after 30 years. He also emphasized that RS adheres to what is written in the Constitution and said that it will never agree to the concept of a unitary Bosnia-Herzegovina. He added that the formation of the third entity is not a patronizing attitude toward Croats, but an assessment that Bosnia-Herzegovina cannot function without such a "tripartite" federation.

Dodik emphasized that there will be no return to joint institutions until the controversial law imposed by former High Representative Valentin Inzko is repealed.

"It was important to me to restore the dignity of RS and strengthen its self-confidence in its existence. Do people here feel that RS has strength, that it is not a self-service where foreigners come and take what they want from it. I think that I succeeded in that and stabilized and stopped the transfer of competencies to the level of BiH, and now we are entering a new phase. In that new phase, a strong Srpska will prove capable of mastering the constitutional rights that the BiH Constitution gives to the Republika Srpska," Dodik said.

Not everyone looks at the processes that, as Dodik says, restore dignity to the Republika Srpska, in the same way.

While SDS President Mirko Sarovic accuses Dodik of leading the Republika Srpska to isolation and conflict, adding that it will be better without Dodik, the Serb member of the BiH Presidency replies that "with such an SDS and Mirko Sarovic, the Republika Srpska will not survive".

He reminded that he received more than 380.000 votes in the last elections and asked Sarovic how many votes he received and on whose behalf he speaks.

"SDS became a satellite party thanks to Mirko Šarović, his trial, his unresolved role in the murder of Rista Jugović, where there are indications that he was also involved in that. I think that Mirko Šarović is being held for those reasons," said Dodik. Dodik also says that Sarovic is "a person protected by agencies from Sarajevo", and not from the Republika Srpska.

"He should not be guarded, but when he comes to Banja Luka, he is being followed by Sarajevo police officers, not the Republika Srpska Police," said Dodik. Dodik announced that next year will be marked by new investments worth at least two billion marks, which is about one billion euros.

He pointed out that an agreement had been reached in Russia on the construction of gas power plants and gas pipelines from Bijeljina to Banja Luka, and said that the construction of the highway from Doboj to Modrica was expected to continue in the coming period, as well as the construction of Buk Bijela Hydroelectric Power Plant.