BUDIMIR: WE ARE WORKING FOR THE BENEFIT OF SRPSKA

BANJA LUKA, OCTOBER 18 /SRNA/ - Republika Srpska Minister of the Interior Željko Budimir said today that, due to the current crisis, it is necessary to take certain political steps for the benefit of Srpska.

"President of Srpska Milorad Dodik has made the greatest personal sacrifice in this period, exposing the absurdity of BiH's judicial institutions and demonstrating that decisions cannot be imposed in the way the unappointed Christian Schmidt has done," Budimir said at a special session of the National Assembly of Republika Srpska. He emphasized that the root of the crisis in BiH lies in illegality, which is why it has become necessary to act in a way that minimizes damage to Republika Srpska. "In terms of foreign policy, the maximum has been achieved. Republika Srpska has established relations with the new U.S. administration, while our ties with Russia are fully consolidated. We have now reached a point where the summit of U.S. and Russian leaders will take place in Budapest - and recall President Dodik's statement in Sochi about forming a Balkan commission in which Hungary would play a special role between Washington and Moscow," Budimir added. He underlined that the time has come for Republika Srpska to implement everything that has been prepared so far. "This means that Srpska must be recognized as a subject in international politics. That is what we are now - and the government bears responsibility for everything that follows," Budimir concluded.