Dodik: Referendum on support for Dayton Agreement

“What if I do not accept the decision? If the government and parliament do not accept it? What will they do? Bring in tanks to prohibit me from entering the government building? I don’t even have to enter the building. I can call a meeting in a private home and say that they are occupiers. Status is a difficult question, and it is dealt with slowly. But, with pride. I am proud of the fact that we will hold a referendum,” Dodik said.

Contrary to the western imposed regime in Serbia, this man has never been bought, he has spine and acts as a real politician of the people.

It´s not the 90´s anymore, Germany & Co can scream and threath with bombs and killings but they wont, so go ahead Dodik free yourselves but dont even concider joining the €USSR & IMF or it will be a short lived freedom. Go east!

There you have it. The independence word has not been mentioned once. There are enough loopholes in Dayton to get RS out of BiH legally. RS does not need to achieve independence but merely joins directly with Serbia, which is the current defacto status anyway.

Regardless of that position, we Serbians can play our cards much better. If we are heading down the path of division then we can use the situation in BiH to regain control of Krajina. I don't think we should be handing over opportunities to the Croatians without thinking them over. In this case, we should start negotiating with the Muslims although the opportune moment will be after the referrendum.

Slowly bur surely the newest state in Europe is forming. Long live Dodik and Republic of Srpska!

An interesting question: do you support Dayton?

Let's not forget the West FORCED (!) Dayton on all three sides back then.

I am from the West but I am really ashamed if I see the double standards in Western policies.

Belgium, Spain, UK, ... everywhere you see more power going to the regions. Even Kosovo is supposed to be a decentralized state according to the West.
For Cyprus the Western plan is also: two strong regions.

And then suddenly Bosnia must become a unified state.

Don't make me laugh!

Serbs AND CROATS should never accept that. I really do not understand that the Croats do not speak out against this Bosnia...

I agree with Mr. Dodik 100%. One step at a time. In the peaceful way. Our day of total freedom and independence is just around the corner.

When I told our Muslims 3 years ago that RS would seek independence because of RUSSIA's rising prominence, they laughed at me and laughed even harder when I talked of a domino effect spreading to all occupied Serb lands. Well, when you know how politics works, you can see years & decades into the future. RS will be like S. Ossetia & Abkhazia, north CG will seperate by 2015, Krajina autonomy by 2020 & the rest of BiH, CG & Macedonia will unite by 2025.

If u follow current trends. Bosnia will most likely brake up, because US is bankrupt (printing money out of paper, doesnt mean u have money. This means inflation). Check out the gold prices, the USD is collapsing.

W/O the US the EU is a toothless Tiger.

yes you do Mr. president because 92% of the republic are Serbs and will vote and should get independence this year if everyone else on the planet could do this so should all Serbian areas like republica srpska since it is majority Serbs and krajina should get full autonomy in the near future and all Serbs to return to their home land, and krajina was always Serbian lands and had nothing to do with croatia in history and it was also about 85% Serbs so then the future for independence there as well and in montenegro it has about a 45% Serb population and all areas should have full autonomy in those areas because those people dont want to live under a gangster government anymore and there should get full indepnedence also now its the time to speak, vote and go to the courts.

Long live Milorad Dodik, Independent Republika Srpska.... CCCC

Very smart of Dodik playing the "vox populi" card. If the international community argues at the ICJ that the will of a people to break away from a state cannot be blocked by international law (as they are doing with Kosovo), it's going to be a hard argument to sell something that acknowledges the breakup of one state but not the breakup of another.

One State Policy for All
or
One State Policy for None

Politically Dodik is very smart, because he is trying to mainatin power using legal frameworks without resorting to the policies of the 90's. However, he has no real intention of following through with it. He alone has admitted that he is bargaining with Inzko, because he knows that they are trying to get rid of him. Knowing that he may once face trail for his various illegal activities, he is fighting before the fight becomes impossible for him to win. Like all politicians in Bosnia, he is a crook, wants power, but unlike the rest, he is smarter and knows how to manipulate the system in his favor, even on an international level. RS will stay a part of Bosnia as long as he and his party are in power. He would never try "joining" with Serbia because he would never want to answer to Tadic or anyone else who was in power in Serbia. He wants to be to be the one dictating, and not be dictated to. I spent most 2009 in the RS, and the situation there is pretty bad, on a social and economic level. Banja Luka has replaced Pale, as the stronghold of power, and Karadzic's network is being dismantled and being replaced with Dodik's. The networks remain corrupt and highly undemocratic, but that is the case in both Bosnian entities. Dodik and the Federation politicians are quite cordial, irregardless of the things that get published. You can see them cracking jokes on the steps of the Parliament if you ever happen to be in Sarajevo. That will not change, as they all know this is just a game, and Dodik is just very good at it. Greater Serbia that many of you love talking about will ultimately amount to Serbia becoming the economic powerhouse of Eastern Europe. Greater Serbia, unlike in the 90's, has nothing to do with having the various regions where Serbs live united. Serbs living in Bosnia, Croatia etc. will feed the Serbian economy through migration, while the Serbs in Serbia will start traveling towards Western Europe once they are EU members. Sadly only a few of the people on this site are aware of the more complex environment that the Balkans are in today. One needs to stop listening to the ill-informed stories of the previous generation, still bitter by the various events that transpired in the 90's. Only once we do that, will we realize that the truth is staring us in the face.

Wow, Roberto, can you imagine if a foreign country moved in and did that to us for voting in a tyrant like George Bush into office? He killed far more people than Milosevic.
(Matthew, 11 January 2010 07:28)

Exactly, Matthew. This argument is too logical for hypocrites however, so do not waste your time on him... or he will start crying about how you are not really an American.

(John, 10 January 2010 17:08

You Croats are very good at having big picture fantasies “Without the dedicated will of the US, the Croatian army would have conquered whole Bosnia”. In what parallel universe would that have happened? The only reason that Operation Strom occurred was because JNA withdrew from those regions in Krajina as part of an agreement.
What are the Croats going to do if RS leaves? The Bosniaks have reduced your numbers from 700,000 pre-war to 250,000 at present and this number is fast reducing and by 2012 there will be 100,000 if your lucky.
Serbs have 50% of Bosnia and don’t want the rest. In fact we are very happy to leave the other half to Croats and Bosniaks. God! you people have tickets on yourselves thinking that the mighty Croat army is capable of doing anything – make sure you recall the 300 Croats from Afghanistan before commencing any action.

“so now, here is our only answer: remove the "democratically" elected dodik immediately… allow only those leaders who will follow the law... if the next rs leaders follow dodik's path, remove them as well. (roberto, 10 January 2010 18:25)”

Wow, Roberto, can you imagine if a foreign country moved in and did that to us for voting in a tyrant like George Bush into office? He killed far more people than Milosevic.

'Wow, Roberto, can you imagine if a foreign country moved in and did that to us for voting in a tyrant like George Bush into office? He killed far more people than Milosevic.
(Matthew, 11 January 2010 07:28)'

I used to wonder, vaguely, what I'd do if the Canadians decided to roll across the border in tanks to help us with our W problem. Probably watch sullenly, for a while, and then - like the Iraqis - start throwing things at them. After all, one simply doesn't let one's country be invaded by foreigners, even if they are Canadians (some of whom are my cousins, and said no thanks to the suggestion that they save us from ourselves, BTW).

Dodik: Referendum on whether he should wear a red tie or a blue tie to work. In all seriousness these never-ending referendums that he is talking about are getting to be humorous to outside observers who see this as a pre-election publicity stunt and nothing more.

So Ron, if you are not for this Dayton agreement, what alternatives do you see? What roads should be taken? Will these roads be roads of peace, or will they be roads of war and more killings?

Would it be wise to stick to this Dayton agreement for 10 more years, to allow tempers to calm down before letting the dogs of war out?
--

Ron, without Dayton there would be no RS. It is therefore only interesting to see how Dodik saws on the brench where he sits on. Without the dedicated will of the US, the Croatian army would have conquered whole Bosnia. And be aware, even when some Croatians (actually only those living around Mostar) have problems with Bosnia, the majority still accept it and will never except a Greater Serbia on Bosnian soil.

Dodik is losing it. If the Bosnian Serbs don't support Dayton then they don't support the existence of two entities which is just fine for other Bosnians. Dodik must have missed his logic courses in college. If the two entities only exists in the Dayton Accords and there are no Dayton Accords then logic dictates that there are no entities. Dodik needs to understand that he can not have the entities without the Dayton Accords. Bosnia-Herzegovina is a state no matter what since it's recognized by the UN but the entities are optional internal arrangements that can and should be changed. The simple fact is that no referendums will take place because holding a referendum on ethnically cleansed land where genocide has been proven to have taken place is illegitimate and is a proclamation of war against Bosnians and their country.

Suppose the Dayton Peace Treaty is declared null and void. What does that mean? It means that Bosnia is once again in a state of war. As it was before the treaty was signed. Than either the fighting resumes, or a new treaty gets signed. If the Serbs in R.S. believe that they could obtain better terms, and are willing to pay the price for the efforts needed to obtain those terms, they may well go ahead. But miscalculations were the most common occurrence during the Yugo wars. So it would be wise to think twice.

Dodik is making a HUGE mistake not waiting for the ICJ to rule.

The proper path forward (without an ICJ ruling that supports UDI’s of regions within a State) is to work with the Croatian people of Bosnia towards creating an entity of their own.

Then, in time, a referendum by the entire population of Bosnia (all three entities) might well support a peaceful mutually agreed upon division.

What is next? Is the Moon going to gain autonomy from the South pole in 2020, then by 2025 it will unite with Mars?
(Ian, UK, 10 January 2010 19:15)

Don't be ridiculous. Pluto needs it much more since it has to get the status of a planet again.

Don't be ridiculous. Pluto needs it much more since it has to get the status of a planet again.
(Peggy, 11 January 2010 00:28)

HAHA I agree!

Mladen, the "bankrupt" US is still sending Millions of Dollars to Serbia in aid, how much is Serbia sending to the US?

When I told our Muslims 3 years ago that RS would seek independence because of RUSSIA's rising prominence, they laughed at me and laughed even harder when I talked of a domino effect spreading to all occupied Serb lands. Well, when you know how politics works, you can see years & decades into the future. RS will be like S. Ossetia & Abkhazia, north CG will seperate by 2015, Krajina autonomy by 2020 & the rest of BiH, CG & Macedonia will unite by 2025.
(highduke, 10 January 2010 15:01)

What is next? Is the Moon going to gain autonomy from the South pole in 2020, then by 2025 it will unite with Mars?

>>“What if I do not accept the decision? If the government and parliament do not accept it? What will they do? Bring in tanks to prohibit me from entering the government building? I don’t even have to enter the building. I can call a meeting in a private home and say that they are occupiers. Status is a difficult question, and it is dealt with slowly. But, with pride. I am proud of the fact that we will hold a referendum,” Dodik said.">>

so, read it and weep. i am speaking to "normal" people, to the west, to the internationals... at least (if not long before) when pristina declared independence (feb, 2008) it had become clear that this was coming. sonia biserko laid it all out for those like myself who hadn't seen it so clearly by then. (of course you won't read her or her colleagues here, where they are nearly completely marginalized. but how difficult is it to search the helsinki site?)

yes, dodik is a sleazy demagogue, slobo-wanna be, corrupt politician w anger management issues, in violation of the accords, wholly inadequate as they were, as they are. but what is the point of me pointing out such things, safely backin the US, and more or less powerless to change anything?

the OHR, or rather the intl's, visa vis the OHR, have had the power, certainly the right, and moreover the responsibility to have altered this course. yes we thought dodik was a decent guy at the beginning -- ok, we were wrong, dead wrong. but it has been obvious for at least the last few years, probably the last 5 years for close observers. and what has been done? nothing. a little tough talk, a little soft talk. lots of mixed signals. that is a deadly combination for a demagogue.

so now, here is our only answer: remove the "democratically" elected dodik immediately, and begin judicial proceedings against him. allow only those leaders who will follow the law. move w/ needed constitutional reforms. if the next rs leaders follow dodik's path, remove them as well.

some people confuse a lack of strength and resolve with caving in...

roberto
frisco

.Regardless of that position, we Serbians can play our cards much better. If we are heading down the path of division then we can use the situation in BiH to regain control of Krajina. I don't think we should be handing over opportunities to the Croatians without thinking them over. In this case, we should start negotiating with the Muslims although the opportune moment will be after the referrendum.

I will say this once and once only..The Serbs may have some pull in BiH but I can assure you that the so called Krajina region will never ever be ripped upart like it was in the 90's. Krajina is no more and never will be. If the Serbs want progress look at RS and forget about the Krajina that never was.

When I told our Muslims 3 years ago that RS would seek independence because of RUSSIA's rising prominence, they laughed at me and laughed even harder when I talked of a domino effect spreading to all occupied Serb lands. Well, when you know how politics works, you can see years & decades into the future. RS will be like S. Ossetia & Abkhazia, north CG will seperate by 2015, Krajina autonomy by 2020 & the rest of BiH, CG & Macedonia will unite by 2025.
(highduke, 10 January 2010 15:01)

Good, since Kosova has nothing to do with any of the above that you mention.Despite the fact that BiH is UN member, yet Kosova is way ahead of BiH, becasue of over 90% is populated with K-Albanians.

Mladen, the "bankrupt" US is still sending Millions of Dollars to Serbia in aid, how much is Serbia sending to the US?
(Nick, 10 January 2010 18:33)
Just how much did the US send in 2009?

I will say this once and once only..The Serbs may have some pull in BiH but I can assure you that the so called Krajina region will never ever be ripped upart like it was in the 90's. Krajina is no more and never will be. If the Serbs want progress look at RS and forget about the Krajina that never was.
(HB, 11 January 2010 05:47)

Let me quote a statement that is often used during negotiation of property settlement in a a difficult divorce proceeding “No one walks away with empty pockets”. My sources tell me the EU negotiators have told the Croats something similar during talks late last year about this very issue. One way or the other something has to give, if not Krajina then a large slice of Slavonia.

Finally, common sense is prevailing.
Thank you Milorad Dodik for saying you will do what has needed to be done for a very long time.
Please do not be detracted or distracted from making sure that this referendum goes ahead. It IS the right thing to do, for sure.

Forced integration of peoples is an abomination. The right to self-determination is a fundamental human right.

But Mr. Dodik, please watch your back because Berlin will try to employ US/UK/NATO to do their dirty work once more.

MB,Ireland

It doesn't make sense to ask Bosnian Serbs if they support Dayton or not since Dayton is a peace agreement on a national level. Only by holding a referendum in the entire country could Dayton be voted down, and it would be voted down since the clear majority of Bosnian citizens are opposed to it. The question is what do you have without Dayton? You'd have a Bosnian state without a constituion. A serious effort needs to be undertaken to ensure that Bosnia-Herzegovina gets a new, just, and functional constitution that will allow the country to move forward on its road to NATO and EU membership and protect the rights of all its citizens.

'Very smart of Dodik playing the "vox populi" card. If the international community argues at the ICJ that the will of a people to break away from a state cannot be blocked by international law (as they are doing with Kosovo), it's going to be a hard argument to sell something that acknowledges the breakup of one state but not the breakup of another.

One State Policy for All
or
One State Policy for None
(Mike, 10 January 2010 17:39)'

Nobody argued that the will of the people to break away from a state cannot be blocked - they in fact kept going back to the Aaland Islands case (the first time an international court ruled on the problem) - and the court ruled in that case that a people are not entitled to independence "simply by expressing a wish." The Islands could declare independence (from Finland, to join Sweden), but they couldn't make it stick.

The case of Kosovo was sui generis, remember? You can't simply say "Kosovo did it, so we can, to." The specifics count.

At least that's what Team Kosovo said - we'll have to wait a while to see what the Court says.

'Just how much did the US send in 2009?
(sj, 11 January 2010 22:05) '

I don't know exactly - these were the first figures I came across at the USAID/Serbia & Montenegro site (these are for Serbia alone) http://serbia-montenegro.usaid.gov/code/navigate.php?Id=98 :

Fueling Economic Growth:

Agribusiness Project 5 years $24 million

Competitiveness Project
4 years $14.7 million

Democracy and Governance:

Media Assistance Program

4 years $8 million

There are other programs, such as the half-million for the police that Congress threatened to withhold over the Kovacevic problem, and Joe Biden brought something - determining the total would make somebody (not me!) a nice research project.

For Kosovo: "The American People, through USAID, have invested over $500 million in Kosovo since 1999."

http://www.usaid.gov/kosovo/eng/ ,

with Current Activities at
http://www.usaid.gov/kosovo/eng/activities.html (Current Activities)

HTH

>>“What if I do not accept the decision? If the government and parliament do not accept it? What will they do? Bring in tanks to prohibit me from entering the government building? I don’t even have to enter the building. I can call a meeting in a private home and say that they are occupiers. Status is a difficult question, and it is dealt with slowly. But, with pride. I am proud of the fact that we will hold a referendum,” Dodik said.">>

so, read it and weep. i am speaking to "normal" people, to the west, to the internationals... at least (if not long before) when pristina declared independence (feb, 2008) it had become clear that this was coming. sonia biserko laid it all out for those like myself who hadn't seen it so clearly by then. (of course you won't read her or her colleagues here, where they are nearly completely marginalized. but how difficult is it to search the helsinki site?)

yes, dodik is a sleazy demagogue, slobo-wanna be, corrupt politician w anger management issues, in violation of the accords, wholly inadequate as they were, as they are. but what is the point of me pointing out such things, safely backin the US, and more or less powerless to change anything?

the OHR, or rather the intl's, visa vis the OHR, have had the power, certainly the right, and moreover the responsibility to have altered this course. yes we thought dodik was a decent guy at the beginning -- ok, we were wrong, dead wrong. but it has been obvious for at least the last few years, probably the last 5 years for close observers. and what has been done? nothing. a little tough talk, a little soft talk. lots of mixed signals. that is a deadly combination for a demagogue.

so now, here is our only answer: remove the "democratically" elected dodik immediately, and begin judicial proceedings against him. allow only those leaders who will follow the law. move w/ needed constitutional reforms. if the next rs leaders follow dodik's path, remove them as well.

some people confuse a lack of strength and resolve with caving in...

roberto
frisco

Dodik is losing it. If the Bosnian Serbs don't support Dayton then they don't support the existence of two entities which is just fine for other Bosnians. Dodik must have missed his logic courses in college. If the two entities only exists in the Dayton Accords and there are no Dayton Accords then logic dictates that there are no entities. Dodik needs to understand that he can not have the entities without the Dayton Accords. Bosnia-Herzegovina is a state no matter what since it's recognized by the UN but the entities are optional internal arrangements that can and should be changed. The simple fact is that no referendums will take place because holding a referendum on ethnically cleansed land where genocide has been proven to have taken place is illegitimate and is a proclamation of war against Bosnians and their country.

When I told our Muslims 3 years ago that RS would seek independence because of RUSSIA's rising prominence, they laughed at me and laughed even harder when I talked of a domino effect spreading to all occupied Serb lands. Well, when you know how politics works, you can see years & decades into the future. RS will be like S. Ossetia & Abkhazia, north CG will seperate by 2015, Krajina autonomy by 2020 & the rest of BiH, CG & Macedonia will unite by 2025.
(highduke, 10 January 2010 15:01)

Good, since Kosova has nothing to do with any of the above that you mention.Despite the fact that BiH is UN member, yet Kosova is way ahead of BiH, becasue of over 90% is populated with K-Albanians.

Mladen, the "bankrupt" US is still sending Millions of Dollars to Serbia in aid, how much is Serbia sending to the US?

Ron, without Dayton there would be no RS. It is therefore only interesting to see how Dodik saws on the brench where he sits on. Without the dedicated will of the US, the Croatian army would have conquered whole Bosnia. And be aware, even when some Croatians (actually only those living around Mostar) have problems with Bosnia, the majority still accept it and will never except a Greater Serbia on Bosnian soil.

When I told our Muslims 3 years ago that RS would seek independence because of RUSSIA's rising prominence, they laughed at me and laughed even harder when I talked of a domino effect spreading to all occupied Serb lands. Well, when you know how politics works, you can see years & decades into the future. RS will be like S. Ossetia & Abkhazia, north CG will seperate by 2015, Krajina autonomy by 2020 & the rest of BiH, CG & Macedonia will unite by 2025.
(highduke, 10 January 2010 15:01)

What is next? Is the Moon going to gain autonomy from the South pole in 2020, then by 2025 it will unite with Mars?

If u follow current trends. Bosnia will most likely brake up, because US is bankrupt (printing money out of paper, doesnt mean u have money. This means inflation). Check out the gold prices, the USD is collapsing.

W/O the US the EU is a toothless Tiger.

So Ron, if you are not for this Dayton agreement, what alternatives do you see? What roads should be taken? Will these roads be roads of peace, or will they be roads of war and more killings?

Would it be wise to stick to this Dayton agreement for 10 more years, to allow tempers to calm down before letting the dogs of war out?
--

Slowly bur surely the newest state in Europe is forming. Long live Dodik and Republic of Srpska!

There you have it. The independence word has not been mentioned once. There are enough loopholes in Dayton to get RS out of BiH legally. RS does not need to achieve independence but merely joins directly with Serbia, which is the current defacto status anyway.

Regardless of that position, we Serbians can play our cards much better. If we are heading down the path of division then we can use the situation in BiH to regain control of Krajina. I don't think we should be handing over opportunities to the Croatians without thinking them over. In this case, we should start negotiating with the Muslims although the opportune moment will be after the referrendum.

When I told our Muslims 3 years ago that RS would seek independence because of RUSSIA's rising prominence, they laughed at me and laughed even harder when I talked of a domino effect spreading to all occupied Serb lands. Well, when you know how politics works, you can see years & decades into the future. RS will be like S. Ossetia & Abkhazia, north CG will seperate by 2015, Krajina autonomy by 2020 & the rest of BiH, CG & Macedonia will unite by 2025.

Long live Milorad Dodik, Independent Republika Srpska.... CCCC

Dodik is making a HUGE mistake not waiting for the ICJ to rule.

The proper path forward (without an ICJ ruling that supports UDI’s of regions within a State) is to work with the Croatian people of Bosnia towards creating an entity of their own.

Then, in time, a referendum by the entire population of Bosnia (all three entities) might well support a peaceful mutually agreed upon division.

An interesting question: do you support Dayton?

Let's not forget the West FORCED (!) Dayton on all three sides back then.

I am from the West but I am really ashamed if I see the double standards in Western policies.

Belgium, Spain, UK, ... everywhere you see more power going to the regions. Even Kosovo is supposed to be a decentralized state according to the West.
For Cyprus the Western plan is also: two strong regions.

And then suddenly Bosnia must become a unified state.

Don't make me laugh!

Serbs AND CROATS should never accept that. I really do not understand that the Croats do not speak out against this Bosnia...

.Regardless of that position, we Serbians can play our cards much better. If we are heading down the path of division then we can use the situation in BiH to regain control of Krajina. I don't think we should be handing over opportunities to the Croatians without thinking them over. In this case, we should start negotiating with the Muslims although the opportune moment will be after the referrendum.

I will say this once and once only..The Serbs may have some pull in BiH but I can assure you that the so called Krajina region will never ever be ripped upart like it was in the 90's. Krajina is no more and never will be. If the Serbs want progress look at RS and forget about the Krajina that never was.

I agree with Mr. Dodik 100%. One step at a time. In the peaceful way. Our day of total freedom and independence is just around the corner.

Politically Dodik is very smart, because he is trying to mainatin power using legal frameworks without resorting to the policies of the 90's. However, he has no real intention of following through with it. He alone has admitted that he is bargaining with Inzko, because he knows that they are trying to get rid of him. Knowing that he may once face trail for his various illegal activities, he is fighting before the fight becomes impossible for him to win. Like all politicians in Bosnia, he is a crook, wants power, but unlike the rest, he is smarter and knows how to manipulate the system in his favor, even on an international level. RS will stay a part of Bosnia as long as he and his party are in power. He would never try "joining" with Serbia because he would never want to answer to Tadic or anyone else who was in power in Serbia. He wants to be to be the one dictating, and not be dictated to. I spent most 2009 in the RS, and the situation there is pretty bad, on a social and economic level. Banja Luka has replaced Pale, as the stronghold of power, and Karadzic's network is being dismantled and being replaced with Dodik's. The networks remain corrupt and highly undemocratic, but that is the case in both Bosnian entities. Dodik and the Federation politicians are quite cordial, irregardless of the things that get published. You can see them cracking jokes on the steps of the Parliament if you ever happen to be in Sarajevo. That will not change, as they all know this is just a game, and Dodik is just very good at it. Greater Serbia that many of you love talking about will ultimately amount to Serbia becoming the economic powerhouse of Eastern Europe. Greater Serbia, unlike in the 90's, has nothing to do with having the various regions where Serbs live united. Serbs living in Bosnia, Croatia etc. will feed the Serbian economy through migration, while the Serbs in Serbia will start traveling towards Western Europe once they are EU members. Sadly only a few of the people on this site are aware of the more complex environment that the Balkans are in today. One needs to stop listening to the ill-informed stories of the previous generation, still bitter by the various events that transpired in the 90's. Only once we do that, will we realize that the truth is staring us in the face.

'Very smart of Dodik playing the "vox populi" card. If the international community argues at the ICJ that the will of a people to break away from a state cannot be blocked by international law (as they are doing with Kosovo), it's going to be a hard argument to sell something that acknowledges the breakup of one state but not the breakup of another.

One State Policy for All
or
One State Policy for None
(Mike, 10 January 2010 17:39)'

Nobody argued that the will of the people to break away from a state cannot be blocked - they in fact kept going back to the Aaland Islands case (the first time an international court ruled on the problem) - and the court ruled in that case that a people are not entitled to independence "simply by expressing a wish." The Islands could declare independence (from Finland, to join Sweden), but they couldn't make it stick.

The case of Kosovo was sui generis, remember? You can't simply say "Kosovo did it, so we can, to." The specifics count.

At least that's what Team Kosovo said - we'll have to wait a while to see what the Court says.

“What if I do not accept the decision? If the government and parliament do not accept it? What will they do? Bring in tanks to prohibit me from entering the government building? I don’t even have to enter the building. I can call a meeting in a private home and say that they are occupiers. Status is a difficult question, and it is dealt with slowly. But, with pride. I am proud of the fact that we will hold a referendum,” Dodik said.

Contrary to the western imposed regime in Serbia, this man has never been bought, he has spine and acts as a real politician of the people.

It´s not the 90´s anymore, Germany & Co can scream and threath with bombs and killings but they wont, so go ahead Dodik free yourselves but dont even concider joining the €USSR & IMF or it will be a short lived freedom. Go east!

yes you do Mr. president because 92% of the republic are Serbs and will vote and should get independence this year if everyone else on the planet could do this so should all Serbian areas like republica srpska since it is majority Serbs and krajina should get full autonomy in the near future and all Serbs to return to their home land, and krajina was always Serbian lands and had nothing to do with croatia in history and it was also about 85% Serbs so then the future for independence there as well and in montenegro it has about a 45% Serb population and all areas should have full autonomy in those areas because those people dont want to live under a gangster government anymore and there should get full indepnedence also now its the time to speak, vote and go to the courts.

Dodik: Referendum on whether he should wear a red tie or a blue tie to work. In all seriousness these never-ending referendums that he is talking about are getting to be humorous to outside observers who see this as a pre-election publicity stunt and nothing more.

(John, 10 January 2010 17:08

You Croats are very good at having big picture fantasies “Without the dedicated will of the US, the Croatian army would have conquered whole Bosnia”. In what parallel universe would that have happened? The only reason that Operation Strom occurred was because JNA withdrew from those regions in Krajina as part of an agreement.
What are the Croats going to do if RS leaves? The Bosniaks have reduced your numbers from 700,000 pre-war to 250,000 at present and this number is fast reducing and by 2012 there will be 100,000 if your lucky.
Serbs have 50% of Bosnia and don’t want the rest. In fact we are very happy to leave the other half to Croats and Bosniaks. God! you people have tickets on yourselves thinking that the mighty Croat army is capable of doing anything – make sure you recall the 300 Croats from Afghanistan before commencing any action.

Very smart of Dodik playing the "vox populi" card. If the international community argues at the ICJ that the will of a people to break away from a state cannot be blocked by international law (as they are doing with Kosovo), it's going to be a hard argument to sell something that acknowledges the breakup of one state but not the breakup of another.

One State Policy for All
or
One State Policy for None

Suppose the Dayton Peace Treaty is declared null and void. What does that mean? It means that Bosnia is once again in a state of war. As it was before the treaty was signed. Than either the fighting resumes, or a new treaty gets signed. If the Serbs in R.S. believe that they could obtain better terms, and are willing to pay the price for the efforts needed to obtain those terms, they may well go ahead. But miscalculations were the most common occurrence during the Yugo wars. So it would be wise to think twice.

Finally, common sense is prevailing.
Thank you Milorad Dodik for saying you will do what has needed to be done for a very long time.
Please do not be detracted or distracted from making sure that this referendum goes ahead. It IS the right thing to do, for sure.

Forced integration of peoples is an abomination. The right to self-determination is a fundamental human right.

But Mr. Dodik, please watch your back because Berlin will try to employ US/UK/NATO to do their dirty work once more.

MB,Ireland

“so now, here is our only answer: remove the "democratically" elected dodik immediately… allow only those leaders who will follow the law... if the next rs leaders follow dodik's path, remove them as well. (roberto, 10 January 2010 18:25)”

Wow, Roberto, can you imagine if a foreign country moved in and did that to us for voting in a tyrant like George Bush into office? He killed far more people than Milosevic.

Wow, Roberto, can you imagine if a foreign country moved in and did that to us for voting in a tyrant like George Bush into office? He killed far more people than Milosevic.
(Matthew, 11 January 2010 07:28)

Exactly, Matthew. This argument is too logical for hypocrites however, so do not waste your time on him... or he will start crying about how you are not really an American.

'Wow, Roberto, can you imagine if a foreign country moved in and did that to us for voting in a tyrant like George Bush into office? He killed far more people than Milosevic.
(Matthew, 11 January 2010 07:28)'

I used to wonder, vaguely, what I'd do if the Canadians decided to roll across the border in tanks to help us with our W problem. Probably watch sullenly, for a while, and then - like the Iraqis - start throwing things at them. After all, one simply doesn't let one's country be invaded by foreigners, even if they are Canadians (some of whom are my cousins, and said no thanks to the suggestion that they save us from ourselves, BTW).

It doesn't make sense to ask Bosnian Serbs if they support Dayton or not since Dayton is a peace agreement on a national level. Only by holding a referendum in the entire country could Dayton be voted down, and it would be voted down since the clear majority of Bosnian citizens are opposed to it. The question is what do you have without Dayton? You'd have a Bosnian state without a constituion. A serious effort needs to be undertaken to ensure that Bosnia-Herzegovina gets a new, just, and functional constitution that will allow the country to move forward on its road to NATO and EU membership and protect the rights of all its citizens.

What is next? Is the Moon going to gain autonomy from the South pole in 2020, then by 2025 it will unite with Mars?
(Ian, UK, 10 January 2010 19:15)

Don't be ridiculous. Pluto needs it much more since it has to get the status of a planet again.

I will say this once and once only..The Serbs may have some pull in BiH but I can assure you that the so called Krajina region will never ever be ripped upart like it was in the 90's. Krajina is no more and never will be. If the Serbs want progress look at RS and forget about the Krajina that never was.
(HB, 11 January 2010 05:47)

Let me quote a statement that is often used during negotiation of property settlement in a a difficult divorce proceeding “No one walks away with empty pockets”. My sources tell me the EU negotiators have told the Croats something similar during talks late last year about this very issue. One way or the other something has to give, if not Krajina then a large slice of Slavonia.

Don't be ridiculous. Pluto needs it much more since it has to get the status of a planet again.
(Peggy, 11 January 2010 00:28)

HAHA I agree!

Mladen, the "bankrupt" US is still sending Millions of Dollars to Serbia in aid, how much is Serbia sending to the US?
(Nick, 10 January 2010 18:33)
Just how much did the US send in 2009?

'Just how much did the US send in 2009?
(sj, 11 January 2010 22:05) '

I don't know exactly - these were the first figures I came across at the USAID/Serbia & Montenegro site (these are for Serbia alone) http://serbia-montenegro.usaid.gov/code/navigate.php?Id=98 :

Fueling Economic Growth:

Agribusiness Project 5 years $24 million

Competitiveness Project
4 years $14.7 million

Democracy and Governance:

Media Assistance Program

4 years $8 million

There are other programs, such as the half-million for the police that Congress threatened to withhold over the Kovacevic problem, and Joe Biden brought something - determining the total would make somebody (not me!) a nice research project.

For Kosovo: "The American People, through USAID, have invested over $500 million in Kosovo since 1999."

http://www.usaid.gov/kosovo/eng/ ,

with Current Activities at
http://www.usaid.gov/kosovo/eng/activities.html (Current Activities)

HTH