MUSLIMS WON'T DECIDE WHO REPRESENTS SERBS IN TALKS

BANJA LUKA, MAY 25 /SRNA/ - Republika Srpska President Milorad Dodik has stated today that Elmedin Konaković and the Muslims in Sarajevo will not be the ones deciding who represents the Serbs in the talks on BiH.

Dodik emphasized that the Muslim political leadership is incapable of doing anything without foreign mentors and that this explains why they avoid negotiations, agreements, or even dialogue. He pointed out that Sarajevo now claims it will choose whom to talk to - but it is not capable of it. “They will not choose who speaks on behalf of the Serbs. That will be done by the Serbs who did it in the elections,” Dodik told the press in Stričići. He highlighted the importance of dialogue, noting that the Federation of BiH often says it supports the constitution – but questioned which constitution it means. “Is it the one that’s written down, or the one you’ve imagined in your heads and now want to impose on us? If it’s the one that’s written, then we’re on the same page. If it’s not, then we’re not,” Dodik explained. He also addressed claims of support for the Dayton Peace Agreement, so he asked which one? The one you’ve been violating for 30 years by imposing decisions at the expense of the Serb people and Republika Srpska? That’s not what the agreement says.” “Let’s return to the letter of the Dayton, and we’ll see. No one in Republika Srpska is irrational enough not to try to adapt after 30 years,” said the president of Srpska. He stated that all imposed decisions must be reviewed and put on the table for discussion. Dodik reminded that the BiH Constitution states there should be three ministers /not the ministries/, acting as auxiliary bodies of the Presidency. “We need to examine why that was changed, and whether there is an agreement between Republika Srpska and the Federation for passing the law on the Council of Ministers,” he said, pointing out that the Constitution allows this only with the consent of the entities, so he asked whether that consent was ever given. He believes that the structure must be redefined, asking why BiH needs 10 ministries and a Council of Ministers that is being turned into a government. Dodik also brought up the indirect taxes issue, stating that this competence was taken from Republika Srpska. Maybe it turned out to be a good solution, but it wasn’t enacted in line with the Constitution, it was imposed,” Dodik said. He has stressed that the court and prosecution system was imposed, and that this must also be addressed. “We’re not aliens to think that some kind of court and prosecution shouldn’t exist, but definitely not in the form we have today,” Dodik asserted. He recalled that today marks 33 years since the Bradina massacre, where Serb civilians were killed, yet no one has been convicted. Dodik stated that the judge who handled that case, and found the perpetrators not guilty, is the same judge who has presided over trials against him. “And now we’re supposed to believe in impartiality. These are the reasons why those elected by the people must take responsibility for such matters,” Dodik concluded.