CVIJANOVIĆ: ISRAEL, LIKE EVERYWHERE ELSE, CLEARLY UNDERSTANDS DIFFERENCE IN STANCE BETWEEN SARAJEVO AND BANJA LUKA

JERUSALEM, JUNE 22 /SRNA/ – The Serb member of the BiH Presidency Željka Cvijanović has stated today that in Israel, as well as elsewhere, there is a clear understanding of the positions held by Sarajevo and those held by Banja Luka.

"I do not need to emphasize these differences, nor do I need to demonstrate them. They are well known. Look at any global issue and you will see significant differences between the views of Republika Srpska and those of the mainstream Bosniak political establishment", Cvijanović said. Commenting on reactions from political Sarajevo to her visit to Israel, Cvijanović stressed that she was not doing anything comparable to what some of her colleagues in the Presidency, particularly the Bosniak member, have done. "He seeks to speak on behalf of the whole of BiH. I have never usurped a right that belongs to my colleagues. I was elected to the BiH Presidency on behalf of Republika Srpska. It is entirely legitimate and responsible for me to speak about the interests of Republika Srpska", Cvijanović explained in an interview with RTRS. According to her, there is no usurpation and no attempt to present Republika Srpska's positions as those of BiH. "I have the opportunity to speak at many important venues, and my responsibility to the citizens is to ensure that people hear what the citizens of Republika Srpska think. There is no attempt here to present something as the position of BiH; rather, I am explaining the views and positions of Republika Srpska", Cvijanović stressed. Cvijanović added that people abroad are well aware of how BiH's diplomatic and consular network has been misused. "Do you really think people abroad do not know that the foreign minister bypasses the Presidency and fails to seek its position on foreign-policy issues, even though the Constitution obliges him to do so before issuing instructions to embassies on how to vote in multilateral organizations", Cvijanović emphasized. She noted that it is clearly understood who advocates which policies. "It is in Republika Srpska's interest to build good relations with every country. Israel holds a special place because we are traditionally connected. Unfortunately, that friendship, partnership and mutual understanding are rooted in the tragic suffering experienced during World War II", Cvijanović reminded. She added that neither Republika Srpska nor Israel has ever forgotten the strength of that bond and the obligation it creates for both sides to continue developing their relations and maintaining mutual understanding. "And if we ever fail to understand each other fully, we know that we must engage in dialogue to improve that understanding. I respect Israel, I respect that approach and I respect every country that acts with credibility and seeks to strengthen cooperation and relations", Cvijanović said. She further stated that political Sarajevo has a tendency to react hysterically to every issue, while representatives of Republika Srpska calmly carry out their duties with full responsibility toward Republika Srpska and its citizens. "We justify the trust placed in us by the people and protect Republika Srpska wherever we are. All of us who have received a mandate from the people understand the enormous responsibility that comes with it. We will not betray that trust, regardless of what may be said in Sarajevo", Cvijanović said.