MARIANI: SUPPORT FOR DODIK'S POSITION THAT IT IS TIME FOR THE PEOPLE TO BE ASKED WHAT THEY WANT

BELGRADE, APRIL 16 /SRNA/ - French member of the European Parliament Thierry Mariani said that he supports Republika Srpska President Milorad Dodik when he says that it is time for the people to be asked what they want.

"This part of Europe is not a colony; in this part of Europe, the people must be respected. Thirty years after the Dayton Agreement, someone needs to ask them what they want," Mariani said. He recalled that a referendum was held in Montenegro and asked why one could not be held in BiH. "Maybe some people want to be independent, maybe they want to join another country," Mariani said. He added that during his recent visit to Banja Luka, he conveyed greetings to the President of Republika Srpska from National Rally leader Marine Le Pen. "Dodik is an elected president. The time when some Goliath issues an arrest warrant for an elected president is over," Mariani told RT Balkan. He pointed out that the EU applies double standards and is very harsh toward the Serbian people. "I've visited Serbia many times. I saw what we did in Kosovo. We say we must uphold values, but those values are not the same when I speak with Aljbin Kurti, with Dodik, and with Aleksandar Vučić," Mariani said. He emphasized that being a Christian in Europe is increasingly challenging today.