The Mayor of Banja Luka, Drasko Stanivukovic, was at the celebration of the Serbian Unity Day in Belgrade these days, and after the central ceremony, he gave interesting statements to the media, especially in the context of the holiday that was being celebrated.
On that occasion, Stanivukovic digressed from the dominant narrative that was present at the central ceremony on Sava Square, and that came from the officials of Serbia and Republika Srpska (RS), saying that one should think “with a cool head”.
When asked by a journalist to comment on Dodik’s call for the secession of RS from Bosnia and Herzegovina (BiH) and its annexation to Serbia, Stanivukovic stated that these were ”just phrases”. The reporter then asked him if he thought that should happen.
“I know what I should say to get applause on the one hand and disgusting criticism on the other. We need to keep a cool head and pursue a wise policy. I think it is a mistake to lie to our people. We have a policy from RS that says every day that ‘we have almost seceded ‘and so on for 20 years and that is just a pre-election trick, ” told Stanivukovic.
After that, he said that there was no talk of secession because BiH is also a country of the Serbian people who inherit a centuries-old history at that place.
“BiH is inseparable from the Serbian people. To renounce BiH is to renounce the centuries-old history of our people. I am surprised that someone who is 60 years old like Dodik does not know that and wants to give up ten centuries of his history. I live in RS and that is part of BiH. Dodik is near the political end and he is using cheap tricks. You get short-term applause, but there is no use from that,” Stanivukovic concluded.
He stressed that it is not wise for Serbs to give up BiH and European values.
“You listen to a Serb from RS, who introduces himself as a great Serb, Mr. Dodik, who says we are the best, we are the only ones, alone against everyone, the world is against us, the West is our enemy. Then you have a voice from Serbia saying “Germany is our friend, thank you for the investments. It is the voice of reason,” Stanivukovic explained, Klix.ba writes.
E.Dz.
