ROLE OF THE PRESIDENT IS TO PRESERVE SRPSKA

BANJA LUKA, OCTOBER 6 /SRNA/ – The President of Republika Srpska Milorad Dodik stated that his role has been to preserve Srpska after an attack was launched on its strongest political figure — the President of the Republic.

Dodik emphasized that no one in Republika Srpska had requested these elections, not even the opposition, but that they were imposed by Muslims together with foreign actors. "This is to deal with us Christians, with the judiciary being misused — it’s a political decision. You’ve seen how far they were ready to go," Dodik said at a press conference. He explained that the BiH Central Election Commission /CEC/ was unlawfully formed, pointing out that its chairperson herself said she would organize about ten polling stations in the Federation and that this would be sufficient. "Their goal is the destabilization of Republika Srpska, which is why they targeted its strongest political figure — the President. My role has been to preserve stability," Dodik said. He explained that there were threats to forcibly appoint someone else and impose them in office, after which, as he noted, "Westerners would insist that it must be accepted." "That must not have been allowed to happen — Republika Srpska could not be pushed into trouble and into a completely different position," Dodik said. He added that a president elected by the will of the people will always be received as the true President of Srpska wherever citizens see him that way. Dodik further said that he is not signing any documents because each signature would trigger a court case and several years of imprisonment. "That is entirely rational behaviour," Dodik stressed, adding that he is not using public funds. Dodik, who also leads the SNSD, said that the agreement signed today at the meeting of ruling coalition leaders includes support for a joint candidate and the establishment of a Coalition Election Committee. "I’m proud of our coalition — today it took us only 20 minutes to align our positions," Dodik stated. He underlined that their politics remains highly consistent and that they have offered opportunities for joint action through several important processes. He noted that the opposition had been offered the formation of a government of national unity, even with a prime minister from the opposition. "And then they ask whether we are consistent. They rejected both the boycott and the unity government," Dodik said. According to him, politics always requires adaptation, and this time such adaptation was imposed by circumstances. "The situation is difficult and it is spilling over to the local level. We must shape our life the way we see fit, and this coalition has done so in the best possible way," Dodik concluded.