Under the slogan “Unity and Pride”, a ceremonial academy was held in Banja Luka on Thursday shortly after 6 p.m. to mark Sretenje, the Statehood Day of the Republic of Serbia, which is also celebrated by the Bosnian entity Republika Srpska this year. It was attended by the presidents of Serbia and RS, Aleksandar Vučić and Milorad Dodik.
The academy in the “Borik” Sports Hall began with the singing of the anthems of the Republika Srpska “My Republic” and Serbia “God of Justice”.
The ceremonial academy was also attended by the President of the National Assembly of the Republic of Srpska Nenad Stevandić, the Prime Minister of the Republic of Srpska Radovan Višković, the Prime Minister of Serbia in resignation Miloš Vučević, ministers and deputies of the RS and Serbia.
Also present are Minister of Finance and Treasury in the Council of Ministers Srđan Amidžić, Head of the SNSD Club of Deputies in the House of Representatives of the BiH Parliament Sanja Vulić, Deputy Speaker of the House of Peoples of the BiH Parliament Nikola Špirić.
The Academy is also attended by His Eminence Metropolitan Jefrem of Banja Luka, as well as members of the diplomatic corps, representatives of the Serbian Army, the RS and Serbian police, and other guests from the public life of RS and Serbia.
The Palace of the Republic in Banja Luka is illuminated tonight in the colors of the flags of Republika Srpska and Serbia.
President Dodik welcomed President Vučić at the Banja Luka International Airport today, and the Prime Minister of the RS Radovan Višković welcomed the Serbian Government delegation led by the outgoing Prime Minister Miloš Vučević.
Dodik: Freedom is the sacred word of the Serbian people
The President of the Republika Srpska Milorad Dodik said tonight at the ceremonial academy in Banja Luka on the occasion of the Meeting that this holiday is a day of gathering of Serbs in Republika Srpska and Serbia, who do not give the sacred word of the Serbian people – freedom.
“We do not give the sacred word of the Serbian people, which is freedom. That word means that there is no subjugation, it means that we will not bow down and that the Serbs stood before the strongest forces and never retreated, because they did not want to be subdued,” Dodik said in his address.
He said that the Republika Srpska is working to avoid embarrassing Serbia.
“We are only interested in a strong Serbia. You, President Vučić, made Serbia strong, and that is important for us, that we feel good and safe here. Strengthen Serbia and do not allow yourself to stop,” Dodik emphasized.
He said that the Republika Srpska is stable and safe today, but it is trapped in Bosnia and Herzegovina.
“We have never been Bosnian Serbs. We have always declared ourselves as Serbs, never as Bosnians,” Dodik said.
He emphasized that he was proud to have worked with President Vučić on the All-Serbian Assembly and its Declaration, and emphasized that the results of that were truly impressive.
“I look forward to being together in Sremska Mitrovica on Saturday, so that we can say there that we are one people,” Dodik said.
Dodik said that it is the right of Serbs to love the Serbian Orthodox Church and the Serbian Orthodox faith.
“I call on all people in Serbia to unite around a united and powerful Serbia,” Dodik said.
Vučić: We will not give up on our people or the leadership of RS
Serbian President Aleksandar Vučić said tonight at a ceremonial academy in Banja Luka on the occasion of the Sretenje that the Serbs in Republika Srpska and Serbia are one and the same people and that Serbia will not turn its back on Republika Srpska, its leadership and President Milorad Dodik, whatever the verdict of the Court of BiH.
“We are called only Serbs and never anything else. We have the same name and surname, the same language, script and culture, and we will not let anyone take that away from us. We will not give up on our people. We only do that and nothing more. We want peace and stability and we will protect them,” Vučić said.
He stressed that Serbia respects the Dayton Peace Agreement and is committed to preserving the territorial integrity of BiH, but that this is not the case when it comes to respecting the territorial integrity of Serbia.
“I said that I love Republika Srpska, and we respect BiH,” Vučić emphasized at the ceremonial academy on the occasion of Sretenje – Statehood Day of the Republic of Serbia and Republika Srpska.
He said that Serbia has never interfered in political relations in Sarajevo.
“The same way, the people will decide on the government in Serbia,” Vučić said.
He thanked President Dodik for many wonderful words and for showing a human face, for always not turning his back on Serbia when it was difficult and for standing by it.
“Serbia will not turn its back on Republika Srpska and its leadership,” Vučić said.
The entity in Bosnia and Herzegovina, Republika Srpska, is officially celebrating Sretenje together with Serbia for the first time this year under the slogan “Unity and Pride”, calling for togetherness, unity and strength, and emphasizing the importance of preserving and strengthening RS.
On June 8 last year, the All-Serbian Parliament decided that Sretenje, February 15, the Statehood Day of the Republic of Serbia, would also be celebrated with Republika Srpska, despite the fact that RS is not a state but a BiH entity, and that this date should be celebrated together.
RS and Serbia jointly celebrate the memory of February 15, 1804, when the First Serbian Uprising was raised, and Sretenje in 1835, when the Sretenje Constitution was adopted, BHRT writes.
