09.01.2018.

Minister Vulin: Serbia Protects the Republic of Srpska

Minister of Defence Aleksandar Vulin, with a delegation of the Ministry of Defence of the Republic of Serbia and Serbian Armed Forces, attended the celebration of the Day of the Republic of Srpska which was held today in Banja Luka.

The minister of defence attended the ceremony of awarding a medal to Tomislav Nikolić in the Presidential Palace, and the ceremonial parade on the Krajina Square that followed. The celebration of the Day of the Republic of Srpska was concluded by the official ceremony in the sports hall “Borik”.

Congratulating the holiday to all the citizens of the Republic of Srpska, Minister Vulin pointed out that the vital foreign policy priorities of the Republic of Serbia are peace, security and stability of the entire region, adding that “we respect Bosnia and Herzegovina, but we love the Republic of Srpska”.

- President of the Republic of Serbia Aleksandar Vučić and the Government of the Republic of Serbia always and firstly pay attention to how Serbs out of Serbia live. The way you threat Serbs who live out of Serbia, it is the way you treat Serbia. The way you treat the Republic of Srpska, it is the way you treat Serbia. As much as you protect and respect Serbs who live out of Serbia, that much you protect and respect Serbia and that much you care about the relations with Serbia. The Republic of Srpska was created as a fruit of a struggle, as a need of Serbian people never to allow the repeating of the genocide of Jasenovac and it is precisely why the Republic of Srpska is obliged to cherish the legacy of that struggle, to protect Bosnia and Herzegovina from Dayton, to honour the provisions that enabled Serbian people and all other nations that live in Bosnia and Herzegovina to independently make their own decisions. Serbian people won its right to decide for itself and it should not and must not ever relinquish that right to anyone, just like Serbia won its right to independently make decisions about itself, its foreign and internal policy and it will never and must not relinquish that right to anyone – Minister Vulin stated.

For today’s great holidey, Minister Vulin wished to all the citizens of the Republic of Srpska to live that day and every following day in peace, harmony, in a country that has future for all our children.

Vice President of the Government and Minister of Internal Affairs Nebojša Stefanović represented the Government of the Republic of Serbia at the celebration of marking the Day of the Republic of Srpska in Banja Luka.

Congratulating the Day of the Republic of Srpska to all its citizens and leadership, on behalf of the Government of the Republic of Serbia, Minister Stefanović added that the Republic of Serbia would continue on that day and the years to come, together with the Republic of Srpska, building a better future for both the Republic of Srpska and the Republic of Serbia.

- We will continue investing; we will continue supporting each other because that is the best way to ensure that all the people who live here have something to look forward to. Our goal and our most important task is to think about how to make this better future suitable for all. We respect our neighbours; we respect the territorial integrity of Bosnia and Herzegovina, but we love the Republic of Srpska, we love our people and no one can take that right away from us. We will continue thinking about what the best projects are which we should support together; about what it is that we can do and ensure so that both the Republic of Srpska and the Republic of Serbia grow stronger each day, since only strong Serbia can become a guarantee of the Dayton Treaty, only strong Republic of Serbia can be the support to the Republic of Srpska. We also know that only strong Republic of Srpska can assist Serbia in becoming the guarantee of peace and stability in this part of Europe - Minister Stefanović stressed.

In Banja Luka, on the occasion of the Day of the Republic of Srpska, President Milorad Dodik decorated the President of the National Council for the coordination of cooperation with the Russian Federation and PR China and former President of Serbia, Tomislav Nikolić. The medal of the Republic of Srpska on a sash was presented to Tomislav Nikolić for extraordinary merit in developing and strengthening cooperation and political relations between the Republic of Serbia, Republic of Srpska and other states, and for extraordinary contribution of wider significance in the affirmation and post-war development of the Republic of Srpska.

On the medal awarding ceremony, President Dodik pointed out that 9th January was the day when the Republic had been created founded on the aspiration of the Serbian people in that area to have its own Republic and be free, reminding of important historical events that preceded. He emphasises that the decorations that were presented that day were given to those who had contributed in different ways to making the Republic of Serbia what it became.

Speaking about the significance of the decoration that was presented to him on that day, Tomislav Nikolić pointed out that the two greatest challenges during his presidential mandate had been Kosovo and Metohija and the Republic of Srpska. According to him, as the President he was just a man who represented the will of people, and the will of the people was clear – Serbia and the Republic of Srpska will jointly decide on their common destiny.

His Holiness Serbian Patriarch Irinej attended the celebration of the Day of the Republic of Srpska, who in the Church of Christ the Saviour in Banja Luka led the religious service on the occasion of Slava of the Republic of Srpska – St. Stefan, which is also celebrated on the same day.

The delegation of the Ministry of Defence and Serbian Armed Forces that attended today’s celebration of the Day of the Republic of Srpska included Chief of General Staff of the Serbian Armed Forces General Ljubiša Diković, Acting Assistant Minister for Defence Policy Milan Mojsilović, Acting Assistant Minister for Material Resources Nenad Miloradović, Commander of the Training Command Lieutenant Colonel Đokica Petrović and the Head of Personnel Department Brigadier General Mile Jelić.

In the framework of celebration of 9th January – Day of the Republic of Srpska, wreaths were laid yesterday at the cemetery “Sveti Pantelija” in Banja Luka at the monument to the warriors of the Armed Forces of the Republic of Srpska. The flowers were laid at the monument by President of the Republic of Srpska Milorad Dodik, Prime Minister Željka Cvijanović, President of the National Assembly Nedeljko Čubrilović. On that occasion, wreaths were also laid at the Square of Fallen Warriors of People's Liberation War, at Charnel House at the City cemetery and the flowers were laid at the charnel house of 12 babies from Banja Luka. As part of the celebration of the Day of the Republic of Srpska, the Senate of the Republic of Srpska held a session yesterday.