CVIJANOVIĆ: SRPSKA FINDS PARTNERS WHO RESPECT ITS INTENT TO DEFEND ITS RIGHTS IN LINE WITH CONSTITUTION

BANJA LUKA, NOVEMBER 7 /SRNA/ – The Serb member of the BiH Presidency Željka Cvijanović has assessed that BiH's European path is blurred, but noted that Republika Srpska can make a major contribution to that path — something understood by those in the EU who approach the issue with an open mind.

"They know that if we reach an agreement, Republika Srpska will stand by it. Srpska doesn't manipulate - it simply defends its rights when it comes to participating in something as important as the European path," Cvijanović stressed in the SRNA podcast. She pointed out that BiH is a complex country lacking political will, as some pursue megalomaniacal political ambitions. "You heard SDA leader Bakir Izetbegović recently claim that Bosniaks make up more than 50 percent of the population. If you say that, then I'll say every day that Republika Srpska makes up 49 percent of BiH's territory. And where does that lead us? BiH is a state built on compromise — created by an agreement that was itself a compromise - but that agreement has been ridiculed through various foreign interventions and through the pressures imposed on us to accept what we could not resist, since we had neither foreign allies nor domestic financial backing," Cvijanović stated. She added that the situation is now different, as Republika Srpska has friends and partners who understand its intent — to protect its rights in accordance with the Constitution. "Is that against BiH? No. Is it against BiH's territorial integrity? No. Is it against sovereignty? No. But it is against sovereignty to have a foreigner - one who imagines himself entitled, and has been supported by many - usurp the rights of parliament and change laws," Cvijanović emphasized. She said these absurdities are easy to explain to today’s key international actors, as they reject any politics that relies on force against democratically elected representatives. "Republika Srpska has opened many doors and will continue to do so, showing that it wants to be a constructive partner. We have nothing against BiH where the Constitution is respected - where, in both the spirit and letter of the Dayton Agreement, BiH functions as a federal structure. We have nothing against dialogue or home-made solutions," Cvijanović pointed out. She observed that the politics of Bosniak politicians on the international stage is not about defending BiH, coexistence among its constituent peoples, or building a state based on the rule of law — but rather about preserving the position of the High Representative. "This shows that you don't trust yourselves, let alone us, nor do you trust your own potential, capacity, or ability to nurture and allow your state to develop naturally, without someone imposing unconstitutional and anti-Dayton decisions by force, just to use them as weapons against Serbs and Republika Srpska, and even against Croats," Cvijanović said. She added that Republika Srpska is searching for a formula for a normal life, while Bosniak politicians are seeking a formula in which foreigners will continue to impose laws and shape the country to their liking. Cvijanović emphasized that there is awareness within international circles that the existing model and the chaos in which BiH finds itself prove the need for a different solution. She concluded by saying that Republika Srpska will always be a partner to those who are ready to contribute to finding that solution.