It is not known who put them up or how much the billboards that appeared in some cities of the Bosnia and Herzegovina (BiH) entity Republika Srpska (RS) at the beginning of this week cost. At least that’s what the authorities contacted by Radio Free Europe say in two of the three cities where the billboards are displayed.
Dodik’s party denies it
Dodik’s party, the Alliance of Independent Social Democrats (SNSD), also the ruling political party in the RS, said that “they are not responsible for placing billboards in cities in the RS.”
Radovan Kovacevic, the spokesman for this party, says that SNSD “neither initiated nor paid for the installation of these billboards”, but that it “supports what is written on them”.
“It should be pointed out that the rights of the Serbian constituent people in BiH are regularly and persistently threatened, and when it comes to billboards, I saw that there are several of them. I think that all these billboards send very clear messages,” Kovacevic pointed out.
Nenad Nesic, Minister of Security of BiH and a coalition partner of Dodik’s party, reacted similarly, saying that he feels “nice when he sees the billboards”.
“We Serbs love when we see soldiers. I saw a policeman with a rifle, that is proof of the strength of the country. Through a safe police force, I see trust and a desire for peace and security. All citizens of the Federation of BiH (FBiH) and the RS must be protected on the territory of the entire BiH. As I pass through Sarajevo safely, everyone from the FBiH passes safely through the RS,” said Nesic at a press conference on September 19thwhen asked about the billboards.
The leading opposition party of RS “does not see the point” in billboards
Unlike the ruling parties, the opposition parties in the leading opposition party of the RS “do not see the point in putting up billboards”.
Who issues billboards?
Ljubisa Cosic, the mayor of Istocno Sarajevo, where the billboards with the words “The border exists” were placed, said to journalists’ question about the billboards that he does not know who is behind their installation, but believes that it is not anyone from SNSD, the party to which he belongs, Radio Slobodna Evropa reports.
E.Dz.
