The leadership of the Alliance of Independent Social Democrats (SNSD) held a press conference today following last night’s victory of Siniša Karan in the snap elections for President of Republika Srpska.
The speeches delivered were marked by repeated rhetoric as well as statements filled with hate speech and threats directed at “Muslims in Sarajevo.”
The acting President of Republika Srpska, Ana Trišić-Babić, said that SNSD won thanks to the citizens of Republika Srpska and that it had once again thwarted the plans of Sarajevo, the opposition, and parts of the international community.
“Republika Srpska has been under attack for months. It was an honor for me to perform this duty during this period. Over the past months, Republika Srpska has achieved historic successes. Considering everything that has been happening in Sarajevo, I believe Republika Srpska should adopt its own election law so that this never happens again. This was an abuse of democracy. We must have our own election law, which belongs to us under the Dayton Agreement,” she said.
Republika Srpska Prime Minister Savo Minić delivered a particularly inflammatory speech.
“Is this not proof enough of how many negative things have been imposed on this state through Christian Schmidt? We have the Court and Prosecutor’s Office of Bosnia and Herzegovina punishing people for displaying images of Ratko Mladić or Radovan Karadžić. This does not happen in the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina, nor do we hear gunfire during celebrations of some of their events,” he said.
He announced that criminal charges would be filed against the Central Election Commission.
“They cannot remain unpunished for everything they have done to us. Tell us, is it possible for us to function like this and remain silent? After this victory, we are even more determined. We will have to implement measures that will protect the will of the citizens. The citizens have clearly expressed their will, and we must place the institutions that disrupt it where they belong, so they can no longer create chaos within Republika Srpska institutions,” he said.
Milorad Dodik then took the floor, stating that he had consumed alcohol until 2 a.m. and that he “struggled with himself” in the morning, but that the messages of congratulations from Benjamin Netanyahu and Sergej Lavrov regarding Siniša Karan’s victory had sobered him.
“We drank last night, but we are sober. I stayed until 2 a.m. Let me begin with the positive things. The people of Republika Srpska have once again said that they stand on the frontline of our freedom and independence. I congratulate everyone who endured humiliation and did not give up,” he said.
He then announced the same political agenda seen a year ago.
“We will soon propose to the National Assembly of Republika Srpska the return of all competences transferred under the Dayton Agreement. This will be a condition for any further talks on Bosnia and Herzegovina. This means restoring the Republika Srpska army and border police, abolishing the Court and Prosecutor’s Office of Bosnia and Herzegovina, re-establishing the intelligence service, ensuring that the state-level budget has no independent revenues, and returning fiscal authority to Republika Srpska. We are asking for nothing beyond what was guaranteed by Dayton.
“I believed this moment would come, which is why I have pursued politics this way for decades. A few months ago, we were threatened with war from the Federation. Regardless of the fact that we do not take them seriously, we see them as enemies. Republika Srpska has both friends and enemies. Our friends are Russia, the new U.S. administration, Hungary, Israel, Serbia, and, I believe, many other democratic countries. We are aware of our enemies. An enemy must suffer losses every day. Muslims and Muslim Sarajevo are our enemies. They have demonstrated this wherever they could,” he said.
He once again warned that “the right of peoples to self-determination, including independence, is our political goal and we will not abandon it.”
“If Muslims continue to push, they will face our right to self-determination. It is not difficult for us to explain to our friends at the global level that this is about efforts by Sarajevo Muslims to subordinate Christians in Bosnia and Herzegovina through their ambitions for a unitary state. The SDA and the so-called ‘miserable Troika’ are the same when it comes to Republika Srpska. We call on the opposition to sit down with us and engage in a strategic dialogue on the position of Republika Srpska. They must think seriously about this. Ignore immature figures such as Crnadak. They had their chance. Republika Srpska must be returned to itself, and the only way to achieve this is through support for SNSD. No matter how bad we are, we are better than the opposition,” he said.
He also outlined his plan to “withdraw” Serbs from state-level institutions.
“We must ensure this. We will speak with all Serbs employed in joint institutions and agree on when they will leave those institutions. We will secure funding so they receive salaries equivalent to those they currently earn. No one will be deprived of income. Everyone will remain employed. Republika Srpska is preparing for this, which is why we need talks with the opposition,” he said.
He added that he would devote all his energy to being “part of the victory called an independent Republika Srpska.”
“I do not need to approach any institution afterward. I do not need to hold any position or receive any credit. We will accomplish this,” he said.
He reiterated that “We should no longer rely on Brussels” and claimed that Republika Srpska would be recognized by 15 countries.
“Forget Brussels, it has failed. Fifteen countries would recognize us within the first 48 hours. That is enough for me. Some would protest, but it would be meaningless. Lithuania, Latvia, Sweden, what do we care what they have to say? Leave us alone. We are saving ourselves from Muslims who are causing us harm,” he concluded.
