STEVANDIĆ: UNITY AND COOPERATION OF THE SERBIAN PEOPLE REAFFIRMED

BANJA LUKA, JUNE 8 /SRNA/ - The Speaker of the Republika Srpska National Assembly, Nenad Stevandić, stated that the anniversary of the All-Serbian Assembly held in Višegrad reaffirmed the unity and cooperation of the Serbian people in Serbia and Republika Srpska.

“It is as if we sensed that difficult times were coming, times full of pressure and attempts to divide our cooperation and our future. That’s why we signed a document of historic importance, the first of its kind in our difficult history marked by centuries of persecution and threats to our identity and territory,” Stevandić told SRNA. He stated that the signing of the Declaration on the Protection of the National and Political Rights and the Shared Future of the Serbian People has had significant effects. "We now jointly commemorate many dates, from times of persecution when we express a culture of remembrance, to those celebrating freedom and the national flag, and even Sretenje /Candlemass/ as the shared Statehood Day for Serbs. Since then, visits by ministers and other officials from Republika Srpska to Serbia, and vice versa, have become increasingly frequent," Stevandić noted. He also reminded that the Parliamentary Forum had been held, established as a joint body of the two assemblies. “It is the first such body in history, and we can be proud of our shared vision of harmony and unity. The formation of this forum was necessary in light of the challenges posed by the times ahead and the ongoing attempts to destabilize Serbia and undermine Republika Srpska,” said Stevandić. He stated that the Declaration had been adopted by the National Assembly and Government of Serbia, and first by the National Assembly and Government of Republika Srpska. “It is a living document that continues to exist and guide our actions, and for those who failed to understand it in time, that’s their problem,” said Stevandić. The event "Encounters on the Drina – Bridges of Serbian Unity" was held yesterday in Višegrad to mark the first anniversary of the All-Serbian Assembly and the signing of the Declaration on the Protection of National and Political Rights and the Shared Future of the Serbian People. The event was jointly organized by the governments of Republika Srpska and Serbia as a symbol of the ties between the Serbian people on both sides of the Drina.