DODIK: THE ADOPTION OF THE CONSTITUTION SHOWED A SERIOUS INTENT TO BUILD A STATE

BELGRADE, FEBRUARY 27 /SRNA/ - The President of SNSD Milorad Dodik, said this evening in Belgrade that the adoption of the Constitution of Republika Srpska on February 28, 1992 demonstrated a serious intention to build a state based on democratic governance.

"We adopted the Constitution as the most important constitutive act of any people just a few weeks after proclaiming Republika Srpska. In doing so, we showed that we wanted to build an organized state," Dodik told reporters ahead of a ceremonial reception marking Republika Srpska Day and 34 years since the proclamation of the first Constitution of Republika Srpska. Dodik recalled that state institutions were formed after the Constitution was adopted. "We fought for an independent state of Republika Srpska, but the war and everything that happened led us to the Dayton Peace Agreement. I must admit that we very reluctantly accepted losing independence and being drawn into BiH. Over these 30 years, it has proven that this fear was justified, that BiH has not proven to be a good place for Republika Srpska," Dodik emphasized. He pointed out that immediately after Dayton was signed, efforts began to undermine it. "This was motivated by the force of liberal-globalist structures that sought to deceive the Serbs by having them sign Dayton, and later, through the alleged building of a European path, to take away even what remained under Dayton," Dodik stated. He added that everything happening recently has been an attempt to blame Republika Srpska in order to more easily strip it of its rights. "We somehow survived all of that; significant resources remain, and the most important is our will to defend Republika Srpska," Dodik said. According to him, there are undoubtedly serious dangers, foremost among them what he described as unconstitutional judicial proceedings in BiH, where Serbs are convicted for raising three fingers, while in Sarajevo, he claimed, war crimes suspect Naser Orić walks freely and is glorified. "The fact that they want to build a monument to Franz Ferdinand speaks to that submissive character. We Serbs are a freedom-loving people and we do not like occupiers. That is a direct blow to our freedom, and then they tell us we should be part of BiH," Dodik stressed. Therefore, Dodik added, it is important for Serbs to gather together. "That is why we are here tonight. Republika Srpska is a state; it has its Constitution, territory, people, and governing functions. Our independence and autonomy within the framework of Dayton are threatened, and we will see how long we remain there," Dodik concluded.