DODIK: SPECIAL SESSION SHOWED THAT SRPSKA IS STABLE

BANJA LUKA, AUGUST 24 /SRNA/ - Republika Srpska President Milorad Dodik said that the special session of the Republika Srpska National Assembly proved that the situation in Srpska is stable, with the conclusions focused on peace and functioning, not on violence.

He added that malicious comments on the announced referendum should be ignored, as Republika Srpska is committed to making decisions democratically, based on the will of the people. “Only the will of the people has legitimacy, not the will of foreigners,” Dodik said. He criticized the EU bureaucracy as deceitful, saying they raise questions about the referendum in a propagandistic manner, and that the EU and Christian Schmidt have undermined the sovereignty of BiH while accusing Republika Srpska of doing so. “Sovereignty is confirmed by the people, not by them. That’s why they are afraid. Imagine the EU being against a referendum! Their own recommendations state that the only mechanism expressing the will of the people is a referendum. Referendums exist in many of their countries, yet we have no right to one,” Dodik told RTRS. He added that the EU has lost many things, including democracy, and that European integration has failed, just like the EU itself. “If we are smart, we should oppose integration. How can we join the EU when they are against a referendum?” Dodik asked. He emphasized that he had worked extensively on European issues, but changed his stance because the circumstances show that the EU is deceitful.