DODIK: THE BEST RESPONSE TO NON-PAPER IS TO IGNORE IT

BUDAPEST, JUNE 5 /SRNA/ – The President of Republika Srpska Milorad Dodik stated today in Budapest that the purpose of non-papers is to stir domestic and local attention and debate, and that the best response to them is to simply ignore them.

"The best response is to ignore it, and I would ask the media in Republika Srpska to do the same. There is nothing new there that could disturb us," said Dodik. He noted that the French-German non-paper was not discussed at today's meeting with Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban, but that they did talk about relations and positions within the EU. "Important developments have taken place in the EU. The UK previously left the Union, and now we have a new German government, where a new form of German-French rapprochement within the EU is becoming evident. But the key issue is how to position themselves in relation to the new U.S. administration and how that will unfold," Dodik told reporters in Budapest. Dodik emphasized that Republika Srpska wants to cooperate with the new U.S. administration and be part of global efforts to stabilize the world and establish cooperation. "That cooperation implies that the U.S. has no intention of creating new states and nations, but rather aims to cooperate with countries based on mutual interests, which introduces a new dynamic in the EU," Dodik said. He believes that a similar situation is unfolding in the EU as in BiH. "Brussels seeks to take over as many competences as possible and uses every opportunity, such as the conflict in Ukraine, as a reason to pressure member states to accept the transfer of concentrated power to Brussels, including financial power," said Dodik. He stressed that Hungary is not a passive consumer of EU political ideas but is actively working to assert values that benefit both Hungary and Republika Srpska. "This is a sovereigntist approach that opposes the globalist-liberal model we previously saw in the Brussels–Washington alliance. That model is now significantly weakened and almost abandoned in America, although it still remains in Brussels," said Dodik. Dodik stated that BiH and Republika Srpska should not abandon their European path but should continue working on the process - not as mere executors of Brussels' directives. With the meeting with Orbán, the Republika Srpska delegation's visit to Hungary has concluded.