ĆOSIĆ: BURNING OF SRPSKA FLAG - PROOF THAT BiH IS IMPOSSIBLE

ISTOČNO SARAJEVO, JUNE 26 /SRNA/ - The Mayor of Istočno Sarajevo Ljubiša Ćosić said that the burning of the flag of Republika Srpska in Sarajevo represents another expression of intolerance and hatred toward everything coming from Republika Srpska, and that it shows BiH is an impossible country.

"Once again, this intolerance toward everything that comes from Republika Srpska is expressed through the desecration of what is most sacred to us, the flag under which our fathers, relatives, friends, and all those who gave their lives for Republika Srpska, fought and died," Ćosić told SRNA. Ćosić said that when some individuals from the Federation of BiH no longer know how to express hatred, they do so by burning the flag of Republika Srpska. "We are sick and tired of this level of hatred and intolerance they show toward everything that is Serbian and everything that is Republika Srpska," Ćosić said. According to him, if this is how the desire for a common life in BiH is being expressed, then it is clear that it is not possible. "All of this hatred they continuously express and demonstrate will ultimately result in the collapse of what is impossible, and that is called BiH," Ćosić said. Ćosić believes that the burning of the flag is not a coincidence or a political whim, but "collective hatred" that in recent days has also been expressed through insults directed at Serbs and the display of flags of the so-called Army of BiH. "Now, this burning of the flag also shows that they should go as far away from us as possible, because if this is how they build a state and show that we can achieve anything together, they are proving themselves that we cannot, nor will we ever be able to," Ćosić said. He stressed that the burned flag will be replaced with a new one, but that the issue of the level of hatred and disrespect being expressed remains. "That says only one thing - that this country will never survive, and that it would be best for us to separate once and live next to each other, as neighbours, if that is the only way we can," Ćosić said. He recalled that the flag of Republika Srpska is a constitutional flag of one of the entities in BiH and represents part of the identity of the people living in BiH. "If I were to decide to cheer for the BiH national football team, I would have every right to enter the match with the flag of Republika Srpska and cheer, because it is part of the identity of the people living in BiH. On the other hand, they wave wartime, unconstitutional flags under which crimes were committed, and by burning the constitutional flag of Republika Srpska, they show what they think about this country and that it is impossible," Ćosić said.