"Almost entire" cabinet to take part in RS day celebrations

"Almost entire" cabinet to take part in RS day celebrations

Speaking after the meeting, attended also by Serbian Foreign Minister Ivica Dacic, Vucic announced a jointly organized gathering for 2016 with the participation of representatives of both governments and of citizens, on the occasion of 75 years since the establishment of the Jasenovac death camp. The camp was ran by the Ustasha regime of the Nazi-allied WW2-era entity the Independent State of Croatia (NDH).

"We will have a myriad of events on this occasion, and all will be done together. It was a camp where the largest number of our people died in history, our nation needs to know and to understand that, and always, looking to the future, know what happened in the past, to tear this away from oblivion, silence, historical falsifications and lies," Vucic said.

He added they also discussed "all the important political issues, the potential holding of a referendum (in the RS) on the court and the prosecution (of Bosnia-Herzegovina), the political tensions in Bosnia, and other issues" - and that "the situation in Serbia" was presented to Dodik.

"We are pleased with our cooperation and are confident that this cooperation can and must always be even better, but we have made it concrete, and these particular projects on which I spoke in infrastructure, culture and education and history, and many others, speak well of our relationship and our cooperation in the future, "said Vucic.

He pointed out that Serbia at all times has the task to play its role in accordance with the Dayton Agreement, and that it would always do that, "trying and making an effort to fully preserve regional peace and stability."

Milorad Dodik also addressed reporters after the meeting to point out that Serbia is the key country in the region, and that RS authorities in Banja Luka "support and understand Belgrade's policy, which is aimed at strengthening regional peace and stability," while the entity "wants to be a part of the efforts to ensure regional stability."

Dodik said the RS has no reason or desire to destabilize Bosnia-Herzegovina, adding that "some kind of violence" was being carried out there.

"The political struggle for the status is something else entirely. What is written in the Dayton Agreement is in our interest. Our interest does not lie beyond what the Constitution said, and what the Dayton Agreement wrote. We are fighting for the goal that was verified and signed in Paris and previously agreed upon in Dayton," he explained.

Dodik also said he spoke with Vucic about the excellent cooperation during this year, "which is proof of genuine partnership."

When it comes to the fight against terrorism, Dodik said he thought it "brought everyone in the region closer together - bearing in mind the need to preserve stability and peace."

Bosnia-Herzegovina and the RS are making efforts to maintain that peace, he stressed, noting there was "a support network for Islamic State" in Bosnia - as well as individuals who persist in that support.

"There are records of security services about 3,500 people who are willing to carry out independent acts of terrorism. That says that awareness of these dangers exists in Bosnia-Herzegovina. I encourage every activity to act preventively against terrorism," he said.

Dodik added he expected competent judicial institutions not to, as they have done in the past, "carry out spectacular mass operations, while prosecutors a few hours later release those detained, making it merely a creation for the media."

"If there is genuine fight against terrorism and if there are preventive measures, the RS will support them," he concluded.