Vucevic: Serbia looking after Srpska but respects integrity of Bosnia and Herzegovina

BELGRADE - Serbian Deputy PM and Defence Minister Milos Vucevic said on Wednesday Serbia was looking after the survival of Republika Srpska, but noted that Belgrade respected the territorial integrity of Bosnia and Herzegovina.

In an interview for RTRS, Vucevic said Belgrade and Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic were under pressure to "discipline" Banjaluka and Republika Srpska President Milorad Dodik.

Vucevic noted that Serbia respected Bosnia and Herzegovina as a friendly neighbouring state comprised of two equal entities and three constitutive peoples.

"Anything that excludes one people and one entity, anything that is being imposed, is not good for Bosnia and Herzegovina," Vucevic said.

He added that Belgrade, "as opposed to some political structures in Sarajevo", made it clear it respected the territorial integrity of Bosnia and Herzegovina.

"However, the political elite in Sarajevo does not quite respect the territorial integrity of Serbia. But that cannot be implemented formally when it comes to Kosovo-Metohija due to Republika Srpska and Serbs in Bosnia and Herzegovina," Vucevic said.