STANIŠIĆ: WE PAID HIGH PRICE FOR REPUBLIKA SRPSKA TO RETREAT BEFORE FORCE AND FOREIGNERS – REFERENDUM IS OPPORTUNITY TO SAY WE WILL NOT GIVE IT UP

PALE, AUGUST 12 /SRNA/ – Member of the National Assembly of Republika Srpska Aco Stanišić told SRNA that holding a referendum, after the verdict of the unconstitutional Court of BiH against the legitimately elected President of Srpska, Milorad Dodik, is the legitimate right of citizens and a way to send a message to the international community that they will not give up on Republika Srpska.

“Republika Srpska was created by its citizens, and it was paid too high a price for us to now retreat before the arbitrariness of illegal international representatives,” Stanišić stressed. He emphasized that attacks on Republika Srpska have existed and continued from its very creation until today, but that this is the greatest attack so far, and a moment in which, regardless of all differences that may exist in political views, unity must be shown and ranks closed, just as was done in those unfortunate war years. “If at this moment we show unity for Republika Srpska – there will be time for political competition, for campaigns, for election winners and losers. If we do not – we will lose not only the opportunity for that, but we will lose Republika Srpska itself, and that will be an irreversible loss and a disgrace,” Stanišić added. He called on all participants in political and social processes to show maturity and reach an agreement. “This may be the turning point in how future generations will speak and remember us, and to them, as well as to those who fought for Srpska, we owe at least this much – that they do not remember us for retreat, surrender, or betrayal,” Stanišić concluded.