Dodik: Serbia's support in international arena important for Srpska

BANJALUKA - Republika Srpska President Milorad Dodik said on Friday Serbia's support in the international arena was very important for Republika Srpska and that, under President Aleksandar Vucic's leadership, Serbia was presenting the situation in Bosnia and Herzegovina in an objective manner, affirming the Dayton Agreement.

Dodik was speaking at a press conference with Vucic in Banjaluka.

Serbia is a signatory and a guarantor of the Dayton Agreement but, before the advent of Vucic, it did not deal with this issue and was marginalised, Dodik said, noting that Serbia was now presenting the situation in Bosnia and Herzegovina in an objective manner and that this meant much to Republika Srpska.

"We are not in a position to reach all internationally important places. What we achieve is more a result of our personal efforts and personal acquaintances, and it is very important that Serbia is present at international forums and that it presents the situation in an objective manner," Dodik said.

He said he had never heard Vucic encourage a destabilisation of Bosnia and Herzegovina in public or unofficial discussions, even as politicians in Sarajevo were overtly attempting to erode the territorial integrity of Serbia.

"That is a thing that we very much appreciate about Serbia, which, with Vucic, is something completely different to what we had before. I used to ask his predecessors to say a few words, but the narrative at the time was that nothing objective should be said, let alone something that would look like a defence of Republika Srpska," Dodik said.

Vucic is on a two-day visit to Republika Srpska for Serbia-Republika Srpska Statehood Day celebrations, held under the slogan of Unity and Pride.