SRPSKA STABLE IN FIRM TIES WITH SERBIA, REJECTS EFFORTS TO CREATE DIVISIONS

BANJA LUKA, NOVEMBER 4 /SRNA/ – President Milorad Dodik said that he conveyed to His Eminence Metropolitan Jefrem of Banja Luka that Republika Srpska is stable and secure, and that all attempts to create divisions between Srpska and Serbia will fail.

"Republika Srpska has now entered a phase of building new relations with the new U.S. administration. We are maintaining a strategic relationship with Russia, and it is very important to us to nurture correct and brotherly relations with Serbia, which take place almost daily, regardless of those who speculate otherwise," Dodik told reporters after his meeting with Metropolitan Jefrem in Banja Luka. Dodik said there are ongoing attempts to cause conflict between Banja Luka and Belgrade, but that such efforts are futile, as Republika Srpska highly values the contribution and support of Serbian President Aleksandar Vučić to the economic and overall stabilization and development of Srpska. He added that he had also informed Metropolitan Jefrem about the situation in BiH, noting that political activity at that level has practically come to a standstill. "The BiH institutions are hardly doing their job. We are facing a situation where the state-level budget cannot be adopted, and where certain illusory ideas are still being nurtured, even though they cannot succeed," Dodik said. He emphasized that Republika Srpska has entered an entirely new era and received clear messages during the recent UN Security Council session that the U.S. administration will not pursue interventionist politics. "That is what the U.S. President Donald Trump has consistently advocated for, and we have understood it well. We know what it means - especially in light of what was said in the UN Security Council and the official position of the United States that the country will not interfere in the internal affairs of others, but that each nation should conduct its own internal dialogue," Dodik said. He called on all political actors in BiH to engage in dialogue, stressing that political Sarajevo has failed to understand this. "They have brought BiH institutions to a complete deadlock, pushing initiatives as if [former U.S. Ambassador Michael] Murphy were still here. Of course, he isn't. Some continue to claim simplistically that what was going on under the former administration under President Biden is the same as now — but I say it is not," Dodik said. He underlined that Trump's administration is rational, seeks peace, cooperation, and partnership. "We have understood that this administration is ready for dialogue, and we are pleased to have the opportunity to engage in that dialogue - about ourselves in BiH and about all related issues," Dodik stated. He also discussed with Metropolitan Jefrem the relationship between Republika Srpska and the Serbian Orthodox Church, as well as the implementation of joint projects. Presidential adviser Marko Romić also attended the meeting held at the Episcopal Palace.