BiH Defense Minister Zukan Helez told what happened yesterday at the meeting in Konjic. He got into a verbal conflict with the President of the Republika Srpska, Milorad Dodik, which almost turned into a physical confrontation, and what struck Helez was that Dodik cursed the genocide in Srebrenica.
He said that because of swearing at Srebrenica, he was overcome with emotions, which is why he had to react. He points out that he could not allow Dodik’s humiliation and rudeness.
“Dodik came nervous. First Nermin Nikšić spoke, then Konaković spoke, and Dodik had already started interrupting him, disrespecting the state. He said that he would go on endlessly, and that he was not interested in plan B, I answered that, he swore. That calmed down, then Ademović spoke. Dodik interrupted him, saying that he was imprisoning Serbs in Sarajevo, that he was a member of AID. At one point, Ademović says, ‘You are not ashamed, there was genocide in Srebrenica.’ Then Dodik said: F*ck the genocide in Srebrenica! I could overcome the emotions. I cursed his mother. He was very rude all the time and I had to react,” said Helez in an interview for Face television.
He said that Kemal Ademović immediately left the meeting, saying that he cannot stoop to Dodik’s level. Helez points out that this is the only way to talk to Dodik and that it is necessary to get down to his level in order to understand.
“I couldn’t help but think about the genocide, it was stronger than me. After that, he slowly started to give in. I don’t know if that’s the reason, but he saw that we showed our teeth and calmed down. I couldn’t take it anymore , I was completely overwhelmed by emotions, to come to Konjic like that and say something like that. There is no other way with these people, you have to get down to their level,” Helez said.
He points out that he apologized to the participants for his vocabulary, but that he did not get over the physical conflict either because he was quite affected by Dodik’s words.
“At one point, I got up to fight physically, then Nikšić got up and stopped me. I couldn’t take those curse words anymore,” said the Minister of Defense of Bosnia and Herzegovina.
He pointed out that the Serbian people should not be afraid of Zukan Helez or his plan B, but that they should be afraid of people like Dodik.
“If you touch the borders, it’s war. 70 percent of people are against touching the borders. Be sure if you do that, it’s a conflict,” said Helez at the meeting to Dodik, which the RS president, according to Helez, kept quiet about, Klix.ba reports.
