DODIK: WE CONTINUE TO STRENGTHEN, SRPSKA AFFIRMS ITS RIGHT TO SELF-DETERMINATION

BANJA LUKA, JANUARY 30 /SRNA/ - SNSD leader Milorad Dodik emphasized today in Banja Luka that Republika Srpska will continue to strengthen, and that its right to self-determination was affirmed during his visit to Israel.

"I respect everyone who respects me, my political work, and my status. In Israel, I was most often addressed as `President,` and no one raised formal questions," Dodik said at a press conference. He added that formalities were expressed only through the unlawful and unconstitutional decision of the BiH Court and the political arrogance in Sarajevo. "I continue to perform my duties. It has been said that I cannot use public funds, but I don’t use them anyway. Christian Schmidt has withheld money from the SNSD and United Srpska to put them at an unequal position in the elections, which amounts to favoring the SDS and PDP," Dodik said. He added that he offers Serbian unity in order to oppose political Sarajevo, the BiH Court, and to move toward greater autonomy and, ultimately, the independence of Republika Srpska. "When UN Secretary-General António Guterres says that Greenland has the right to self-determination, it is clear that Republika Srpska has the same right. This right is granted by international conventions, which are an integral part of the BiH Constitution. We have enemies in political Sarajevo and in the Western liberal elite, and that is why we must halt certain processes aimed at the centralization of BiH, because we do not want to go there; we want self-determination. It is necessary to consider uniting both the government and the opposition and moving beyond the Dayton Agreement," Dodik said. Dodik reiterated that he was pleased to receive the Jabotinsky Freedom Award on behalf of Republika Srpska and the Serbian people, one of Israel’s highest honors. "I dedicate this to Republika Srpska and its path toward independence, as well as to the Serbian people, their peace, and freedom," Dodik said.