CONDEMNATION OF HELEZ'S STATEMENT ON DIVISION OF SRPSKA

SARAJEVO, JUNE 20 /SRNA/ - The OSCE mission in BiH condemned all statements that create divisions and cause fear among the population of BiH, including the statements of the Minister of Defense in the Council of Ministers, Zukan Helez, about the division of Republika Srpska and erasing its name.

"Elected officials, such as Minister Helez, have a duty to strengthen cohesion and support communities and individuals, instead of engaging in activities that undermine security and well-being," the OSCE pointed out in its response to SRNA about Helez's threats to the Serb people and Republika Srpska. Helez previously spoke about the division of Srpska into two cantons, about erasing its name, and said that the Serbs will "get the short end of the stick" and that it would be an "advantage" for the Serbs if they themselves moved out of Srpska and BiH. He announced that the Bosniak authorities, in light of the resolution on Srebrenica, will request the abolition of Republika Srpska, by dividing it into two cantons, and erasing its name forever. Helez threatened that the Serbs would "get the short end of the stick" if they did not comply with his partition plan and end up, as he said, like the Serbs from Republika Srpska Krajina, who were expelled in the Croatian operation "Storm".