UNITY NEEDED AFTER INJUSTICE DONE TO SRPSKA'S PRESIDENT

BIJELJINA, AUGUST 8 /SRNA/ - The Alliance of Serbs in Italy has expressed concern over the verdict against the President of Republika Srpska, Milorad Dodik, emphasizing the importance of unity among the Serb people at this delicate moment, in which there is no room for political divisions.

"Everyone who believes in the principles of European democracy has a moral obligation to raise their voice against attempts to abolish Republika Srpska, which is guaranteed by international law and the 1995 Dayton Peace Agreement, and against the imposition of centralization that goes against the will of its people," says a press release. The Dayton Agreement, on which the constitutional structure of BiH is based, is the result of difficult compromises and is the foundation of peace in BiH after the tragic war. "Any attempt to undermine it opens up a possibility for a new conflict of interests of great powers in this region," the Alliance of Serbs in Italy says in the press release. The verdict against the President of Republika Srpska, delivered on the basis of imposed norms, represents a dangerous precedent, the press release says. "This is not just about one man - it is about endangering the right of the Serb people to freely choose their representatives and live in peace and in accordance with the Constitution. Remaining silent in the face of this injustice means legitimizing the destruction of the very foundations of peace and coexistence in BiH," the Alliance says. Preserving the constitutional jurisdictions of the institutions of Republika Srpska, as prescribed by the Dayton Agreement for BiH, is the only guarantor of stability in the Balkans, the press release says. "At this sensitive historical moment, we call on the Serb Diaspora in Italy and beyond to actively support the institutions of Republika Srpska. Our support is not merely symbolic; it sends a strong message of unity, national responsibility, and commitment to preserving the constitutional order of a state, as well as the dignity of the Serb people," the press release reads. The Alliance announced that they will make every effort to ensure their voice is clearly heard, along with their strong condemnation of the injustice currently being endured by the Serb people and the institutions of Republika Srpska. They plan to do this through the Italian press, by sending letters to Italian politicians who know and respect them, as well as to the highest institutions of the Italian state. "We remind all sides in BiH, including German diplomat Christian Schmidt who was the main initiator of this political and anti-constitutional verdict, and the international community, that stability is not achieved through political imposition, but through respect for agreements, first and foremost the Dayton Peace Agreement, respect for election results as an expression of the will of citizens, respect for diversity, and institutional dialogue," says the press release from the Alliance of Serbs in Italy. The Alliance of Serbs in Italy was established in 2015 and comprises 12 associations that aim to preserve the cultural and national identity of Serbs in Italy through cultural, educational, sports, and humanitarian activities.