KARAN TO TASS: SRPSKA IS FIGHTING AGAINST STRIPPING OF ITS POWERS

MOSCOW, MAY 10 /SRNA/ - In his first interview with a Russian media outlet, Republika Srpska President Siniša Karan told TASS that Republika Srpska is only defending its constitutional rights and is resisting the stripping of its powers.

Karan stated that the idea of a referendum on independence is not currently on the agenda and, as he put it, had never existed in the sense in which it is sometimes presented. He said it has instead been misused and turned into a fictional narrative to be used against the leadership of Republika Srpska as a pretext for later accusations of violating constitutional or other norms. "The autonomy in question refers to internal autonomy under the Dayton Peace Agreement. We have been fighting for our powers as an entity within the country in line with the Dayton Agreement,” Karan said. He said that for 30 years, Russia has fundamentally supported the implementation of the Dayton Peace Agreement exactly and exclusively as it was written and originally conceived, rather than how it has been applied in practice. He stressed that Republika Srpska will not yield to pressure and will never join sanctions against Russia. Karan explained that some EU countries are using political and economic instruments to pressure not only Republika Srpska but also other countries that maintain ties with Russia, presenting this as part of the path toward EU integration. "Such a path is unacceptable for us," Karan said during his visit to Moscow, where, as a member of the delegation of Republika Srpska, he attended the Victory Day Parade on Red Square and later met with Russian President Vladimir Putin. He added that the European path cannot be based on reducing independence or putting pressure on sovereignty. “For us, such a path can only be built on compromise and mutual respect. That is precisely why, when we talk about the European path, difficulties arise with internal procedures in BiH, and EU demands are used to exploit these issues,” Karan said. Karan said that some EU politicians have made negative comments about the visit to Moscow, but that this in no way affects the strategic dialogue between Moscow and Republika Srpska. "There were no concrete threats, and even if there had been, it would not have influenced our participation in the ceremonies, as for us, it is part of our national interest," Karan said. Karan added that in a new multipolar world, some EU politicians are attempting in this way to influence attitudes toward Republika Srpska and its national identity. Karan said that the West attempted to interfere through the appointment of High Representatives, whose decisions, he claimed, have always been directed against the interests of the Serb people. “We are fighting against that, against sanctions, and we are doing so through our institutions and the will of the people. We are simply defending our national interests and fighting for them. And relations with Russia are our strategic national interest,” Karan said. He assessed that the West will again try to destabilize the situation in Republika Srpska during the upcoming October elections, but stressed that the will of the people and the voice of the people are an effective tool against such efforts. He also stressed that dialogue between the authorities of Republika Srpska and the current U.S. administration would not harm the entity’s relations with Russia. He pointed out that relations between Republika Srpska and Russia are strategic and friendly, and are built on partnership.