Dodik: RS powers more important than EU

RS PM Milorad Dodik says the RS won't relinquish any more of its powers and that for the RS, issues pertaining to its powers are "more important than the EU." “Instead of implementing the Dayton Accords, the international community made the gross error of implementing its ‘spirit’. And once they embarked on this in Bosnia, there was only ever going to be one possible ending—it means us asking them to return our powers,” Dodik told Thursday's edition of daily Vecernje Novosti. Dodik: RS powers more important than EU "This will be the basis of our concept in the process of constitutional change. No one should doubt our success. Rest assured—the RS will not lose any more of its powers," the Republic of Srpska (RS) prime minister added. "European integration is not a matter of life and death to us. We are more concerned about the RS than about chasing processes where someone is making promises to us that are highly unlikely to be kept," he said, stating that he was not against the EU, but that he was "opposed to unrealistic optimism about this." "None of the members of the EU are prepared to sacrifice their national interests for the EU, and neither are we. Only the RS is being asked to be good and abolish everything we have, so that we can be the good guys one day. But we’re still the bad guys. I have no intention of thinking well of someone who does not think well of me. I mean, if they had thought well of this region they would not have allowed a war to be fought here," Dodik emphasized. "No-one respects flattery, I have nothing against integration, but they should tell us exactly where we stand in European processes and what lies in store for us in the future. Otherwise, no thanks,” added Dodik. Asked whether there could be a retracing of Bosnia-Hercegovina’s territorial composition with the creation of a third entity, and would it harm the RS, he replied: “No way! We still haven’t received 49 percent of the territory that was due us under Dayton. We’ll ask them to give us back our land. We have no time for that line that 'it’s all Bosnia and that it’s all ours.'" “Our only aim is for the RS to become self-sufficient. But whether Bosnia-Hercegovina will be is not up to me. My goal is for Srpska to be unquestionable and to function by herself. We can discuss certain foreign matters, the army (that I think should be disbanded), but everything else has to be in the entities’ jurisdiction,” he said. Having responded to Croatia’s lawsuit against Serbia with a call to raise the issue of Jasenovac by making a feature film, asked whether this would help Serbia’s counter-suit, Dodik replied: “Croatia and Serbia were always at the heart of relations in the former Yugoslavia. Bosnia was just a collateral issue. The Croats shouldn’t be so cocky in these proceedings. “They will have to tell the court why there are no Serbs in Croatia. Was that maybe genocide? Was that not ethnic cleansing? What this comes down to is history. I don’t think that the court can establish what Croatia is seeking and find Serbia guilty of genocide. But Jasenovac is clear cut. We’re talking about several hundred thousand people murdered in the most abhorrent manner, and there is proof of this. That’s genocide! Serbia should base its case around Jasenovac. The film we’re looking to do in cooperation with President Boris Tadic has that aim in mind," explained the RS prime minister. Milorad Dodik (FoNet, archive)

Dodik: RS powers more important than EU

"This will be the basis of our concept in the process of constitutional change. No one should doubt our success. Rest assured—the RS will not lose any more of its powers," the Republic of Srpska (RS) prime minister added.

"European integration is not a matter of life and death to us. We are more concerned about the RS than about chasing processes where someone is making promises to us that are highly unlikely to be kept," he said, stating that he was not against the EU, but that he was "opposed to unrealistic optimism about this."

"None of the members of the EU are prepared to sacrifice their national interests for the EU, and neither are we. Only the RS is being asked to be good and abolish everything we have, so that we can be the good guys one day. But we’re still the bad guys. I have no intention of thinking well of someone who does not think well of me. I mean, if they had thought well of this region they would not have allowed a war to be fought here," Dodik emphasized.

"No-one respects flattery, I have nothing against integration, but they should tell us exactly where we stand in European processes and what lies in store for us in the future. Otherwise, no thanks,” added Dodik.

Asked whether there could be a retracing of Bosnia-Hercegovina’s territorial composition with the creation of a third entity, and would it harm the RS, he replied:

“No way! We still haven’t received 49 percent of the territory that was due us under Dayton. We’ll ask them to give us back our land. We have no time for that line that 'it’s all Bosnia and that it’s all ours.'"

“Our only aim is for the RS to become self-sufficient. But whether Bosnia-Hercegovina will be is not up to me. My goal is for Srpska to be unquestionable and to function by herself. We can discuss certain foreign matters, the army (that I think should be disbanded), but everything else has to be in the entities’ jurisdiction,” he said.

Having responded to Croatia’s lawsuit against Serbia with a call to raise the issue of Jasenovac by making a feature film, asked whether this would help Serbia’s counter-suit, Dodik replied:

“Croatia and Serbia were always at the heart of relations in the former Yugoslavia. Bosnia was just a collateral issue. The Croats shouldn’t be so cocky in these proceedings.

“They will have to tell the court why there are no Serbs in Croatia. Was that maybe genocide? Was that not ethnic cleansing? What this comes down to is history. I don’t think that the court can establish what Croatia is seeking and find Serbia guilty of genocide. But Jasenovac is clear cut. We’re talking about several hundred thousand people murdered in the most abhorrent manner, and there is proof of this. That’s genocide! Serbia should base its case around Jasenovac. The film we’re looking to do in cooperation with President Boris Tadić has that aim in mind," explained the RS prime minister.