[wzslider autoplay=”true”]To recall, organizers of protest “Release Srpska” and gathering “With heart for Srpska. Stop the betrayal” urged people yesterday to express their opinion on today’s gathering in a quiet, dignified manner and without incidents. Almost all the leaders of the parliamentary political parties in the RS promised that their members and sympathizers on the streets will respect the law and will not make any problems or riots. Judging by the statements of top officials, meetings, which are scheduled for today at 12 am in the park “Mladen Stojanovic” and the Krajina Square, should pass without any incidents.
As of this morning, strong police force are on the streets in the center of Banja Luka, including the “special forces” and support units. Iron fence is set around the site where the opposition will held a protest, as well as protective fencing to prevent access to the facilities of the institutions of the RS, the building of the Government, the National Assembly of the RS and the Palace of the President of the RS.
More than 2,000 members of the Ministry of Internal Affairs are securing the city. All buses with protesters on entrances to Banja Luka are controlled. Each bus is examined in details and under police escort conducted at the meeting, and will return in the same way when leaving the city. Numerous police patrols around Banja Luka are monitoring the situation, while all the restaurants and catering facilities are closed due to the high precaution measures.
The arrival of 100 buses of the opposition and about 150 buses of the ruling coalition was announced earlier.
Exactly at 11.30 am in front of the Palace of the President of the RS, came out Milorad Dodik, the President of Republika Srpska, accompanied by senior officials of the SNSD, Zeljka Cvijanovic, Nebojsa Radmanovic, Nikola Spiric, and headed to the Krajina Square.
„I want peace and stability of the RS,“ said shortly Dodik, and continued towards the Square, where thousands of people are waiting.
At the meeting of the ruling coalition and the protest of opposition in Banja Luka arrived more than 35,000 citizens, according to some estimations. This information is not final since people are still coming on the meeting as well as the protest.
Mladen Ivanic, the member of the Presidency of BiH, said before the protest that the main objective of today’s meeting is preservation of democratic rights. He said that the gathering will take place in peace and dignity, and that there will not be any riots.
At the meeting of ruling coalition in Banja Luka, among the RS officials, is also son of the Hague defendant Ratko Mladic, Darko Mladic.
On the main square of Banja Luka, led by President Milorad Dodik, also gathered other RS officials as well as large number of their supporters, who came from all over the RS by buses.
Supporters of opposition were joined by senior officials Mirko Sarovic, Minister of Foreign Trade and Economic Relations, Igor Crnadak, Minister of Foreign Affairs and Branislav Borenovic, the President of PDP.
Serbian Prime Minister Aleksandar Vucic said that today’s meetings in Banja Luka will be exam “if Serbs can show a democratic face” and he urged the participants to express political passion and opinions peacefully and with dignity.
“I hope that that everything will pass peacefully in Banja Luka. This is a test for us Serbs, exam that will show if we can show our democratic face and I hope that we will pass this test today,” said Vucic in Valjevo.
(Source: avaz.ba)
