President of the Alliance of Independent Social Democrats (SNSD), Milorad Dodik, stated that the parade of former members of the Croatian Defence Council (HVO) will not be allowed in Derventa this year. He emphasized that the institutions of Republika Srpska will not permit what he described as the glorification of formations that committed crimes against the Serbian people.
“There will be no parade of former members of the defeated HVO forces in Derventa. Republika Srpska will not allow the glorification of ideologies or formations that committed serious crimes against the Serbian people,” Dodik said.
He added that, in his view, while Croatia prohibits the commemoration of Serbian suffering and, according to him, cases of the destruction and desecration of Serbian graves go unpunished, no one should expect the authorities in Republika Srpska to silently observe events they consider provocative.
“Anyone who expected that we would passively watch the glorification of units that killed us on our own land was mistaken. State authorities of Republika Srpska will respond to any attempt at such provocation,” Dodik stated.
It should be noted that similar events have been held in Derventa in previous years. In 2023, the President of Croatia, Zoran Milanović, attended the event and awarded the 103rd Brigade of the Croatian Defence Council (HVO) in Derventa with the Order of Nikola Šubić Zrinski.
