DODIK: WE WILL NOT JOIN THE EU WITHOUT STATUS AND VOTING RIGHTS

BANJA LUKA, NOVEMBER 5 /SRNA/ - SNSD leader Milorad Dodik has said that Republika Srpska does not wish to join the EU if it will not have equal status and the right to vote.

"That would mean we would have to obey orders, and obeying means imposing sanctions on Russia," Dodik said, adding that Republika Srpska is firmly opposed to that. Dodik pointed out that there is now talk of the EU deciding to include all countries, but without status or voting rights, reminding of the statement by EU Enlargement Commissioner Marta Kos that the main goal of enlargement is to prevent future member states from acting like Hungary. "Is that possible? Is that the EU we want to join? We don't want to. As for being dragged into the EU without status and voting rights - I am against it. Republika Srpska will be against it," Dodik said at a press conference in Banja Luka. He emphasized that his focus is on Republika Srpska and that this will remain his approach in the period ahead. Dodik stated that he is not interested in what happens in the Federation of BiH, which he described as foreign territory for Republika Srpska. According to him, those who claim to be protecting BiH should explain how they are doing that and what exactly they are protecting. "Globalists and Muslims are not acting only in BiH, they operate on a global level, and that is why they are now overwhelmed by problems," Dodik said. He pointed out that even the EU itself is facing issues of disintegration, while falsely promising a better life.