MILIĆ: REPUBLIKA SRPSKA - THE STRONGEST GUARANTEE OF SERB PEOPLE'S SURVIVAL

BRČKO, JANUARY 10 /SRNA/ – Brčko District Mayor Siniša Milić has said today that Republika Srpska is the strongest guarantee of the Serb people's survival on the left bank of the Drina River and the embodiment of the natural right to live in freedom, without fear or humiliation.

Speaking at a ceremonial gathering marking Republic Day, Milić emphasized that the idea of Republika Srpska creation is much older than the 34 years of its official existence, as it represents the centuries-old aspiration of the Serb people for a homeland in which they would not be second-class citizens simply because they are Serbs. He stressed that generations defended this idea through immense sacrifices, confirming that the historical consciousness and collective memory of a people are an unshakable creative force. Milić noted that Serbs in Brčko view Republika Srpska with the same sentiment, and that the modified status of Brčko, defined by an arbitral decision as a condominium, or joint ownership of both entities, has not deprived Republika Srpska of its legitimate interests in this area. According to him, these changes have not been such as to cause Brčko Serbs to cease feeling part of a unified Serb political identity. He emphasized that Brčko is a guardian of the Dayton two-entity structure of BiH and a place where the interests of both entities are affirmed. Milić pointed out that the District enjoys pronounced administrative autonomy, but cannot be treated as a third entity or a corpus separatum outside the Constitution of BiH. He said that, through wise policy, attempts to portray Brčko as a flashpoint or a reason for the stationing of foreign military forces have been overcome, and that the District has demonstrated the highest level of cooperation among the three constituent peoples through the principles of consociational democracy. Milić stated that a functional community in BiH can be built through internal agreement and consensus, warning that the usurpation of functions and uncoordinated positions, such as those seen at the BiH level, produce distrust and divisions. The mayor of Brčko thanked Republika Srpska for its continuous support to the District through the supply of electricity, infrastructure projects, assistance in healthcare, and the announced construction of a gas pipeline. He emphasized that Republika Srpska is the hearth that preserves the most important values of identity and the biological survival of the peoples. Milić issued an appeal for unity, warning that discord is the most dangerous enemy, one that destroys families and extinguishes hearths. He noted that inter-party conflicts must never outweigh the interests of the people or endanger the foundations of Republika Srpska, concluding that peace and truth are attained only by the persistent and the patient.