TRIŠIĆ BABIĆ: SRPSKA REFUSES TO BE ANYONE'S INSTRUMENT

BANJA LUKA, JULY 20 /SRNA/ - Republika Srpska refuses to be anyone's instrument, and an increasing number of people in the international community understand that the model imposed on BiH was flawed, said Ana Trišić Babić, Acting Director of the Office for International Cooperation.

Trišić Babić said that Republika Srpska is politically significant, geopolitically recognized, and institutionally mature, adding that this is the result of the policies pursued by President Milorad Dodik and Republika Srpska's institutions, which, she said, refused to be passive objects of others' decisions. She said that Republika Srpska's geopolitical approach is based on several key principles: the Dayton Peace Agreement, Republika Srpska's constitutional position, its national and cultural identity, and its rational interests, namely, cooperation with all those who respect Republika Srpska, the Dayton Agreement, dialogue, and political realities. "That is why we are present at important international venues, why we engage in dialogue and build relationships both in the East and the West. We do not accept that anyone should dictate whom we are allowed to talk to. Srpska is small, but it is not insignificant. It is important for regional stability, and its own stability depends on being respected rather than humiliated. That is the essence of our policy," Trišić Babić told Glas Srpske. She assessed that Republika Srpska is a regionally and symbolically recognized geopolitical actor because it has a clear political will, institutional continuity, a people who know what they are defending, and a leadership that has shown it will not bargain away its fundamental interests. Asked about critics who claim that Republika Srpska has no right to exercise a greater degree of independence in the field of foreign policy, she said that these are, in most cases, not critics but political Sarajevo, which, she argued, starts from the premise of denying Republika Srpska any right that it cannot control. She stressed that Republika Srpska must have room to act because it has a responsibility to its people, that it understands the constitutional powers of BiH, and that it is not seeking chaos. "An increasing number of people in the international community understand that the model imposed on BiH was flawed. It was based on the idea that Republika Srpska's powers could gradually be stripped away, that real power could be transferred to a level of government that lacks internal consensus, and that all of this could then be described as functionality. That is political deception," she said. She pointed out that restoring powers is not a matter of political stubbornness, but rather restoring BiH to a framework capable of ensuring peace and stability. She said that this framework is Dayton, and expressed confidence that this idea will gradually gain more support. Trišić Babić said that Republika Srpska does not pursue a policy of defiance but one based on interests. She added that its relations with the Russian Federation are important historically, politically and diplomatically, but that it is also important to maintain open and substantive relations with the United States. "Republika Srpska will not stand against Russia to prove something to someone in the West, nor will it stand against the West to send a message to anyone. We stand for Srpska. That is our starting and ending point," Trišić Babić stressed. Regarding the OHR, she said that it is a civilizational absurdity, an institution without democratic legitimacy and without precedent in the modern world in terms of the length of its existence and the scope of its political influence. "The OHR is not just an office. It is a concept; a concept of colonial governance, a concept of suspended democracy, and a concept of permanent crisis. Yes, I believe that this concept is coming to an end. That does not mean it will disappear tomorrow morning, but it does mean that, historically, its time is running out," Trišić Babić said. She assessed that the end of the OHR would be beneficial not only for Republika Srpska but also for BiH as a whole, adding that removing the OHR from day-to-day politics and decision-making would be a prerequisite for the EU to take a rational view of BiH. "The European path can only be successful if it is based on the reality of BiH, and the reality of BiH is Dayton," Trišić Babić said. She said that she believes BiH will become part of the EU and that representatives of Republika Srpska have done the most in this term to advance the European path. Regarding the establishment of the Office for International Cooperation of Republika Srpska, she said that it is not only justified but also necessary, and that its first task is to ensure that Republika Srpska is present wherever it is being discussed, that its voice is heard, and that its position is presented in an argued and documented manner. "This is not parallel diplomacy, as some maliciously seek to portray it. It is responsible institutional communication with the world. I see the Office as one of the pillars of Republika Srpska's international positioning," Trišić Babić said.