"Serbia won’t support break-up of Bosnia"

President Boris Tadic says that Serbia would never support a referendum that would lead to the splitting of Bosnia and Herzegovina. "Serbia will not support any act or referendum that would lead to the splitting of Bosnia, since Serbia is a guarantor of the Dayton Agreement," Tadic old Sarajevo television OBN, adding that otherwise, Serbia would lose international credibility. "Serbia won’t support break-up of Bosnia" He also underlined that he would also never make a decision that would question the position of Republic of Srpska (RS), as an entity within the Bosnian Federation, and that Serbia will respect the Dayton Agreement. Addressing the topic of war crimes, Tadic said that they cannot be forgotten, and that the nations, countries and individuals in the region can obtain moral credibility if they show sympathy for victims of other nationalities. "A flaw of the Balkans is that people are ready to speak only about their own casualties, not others' as well," Tadic said, adding that this should change. He assessed his visit to Srebrenica on the anniversary of the crime that occurred in the town as one of the hardest days for him, and that he then had a revelation which made him determined to lead a policy for the improvement of relations between nations and countries in the Balkans. However, he also pointed out that it is not possible for Serbia to always play the role of a country that apologizes, adding that the Serbs suffered casualties as well. "We must get out of this vicious circle, or we will never construct a normal society or become EU members," Tadic underlined. The president also stressed that he does not know where war crimes indictees Ratko Mladic and Goran Hadzic might be hiding, and described accusations that Serbia was sheltering them as “unfounded”. Asked about his relationship with RS PM Milorad Dodik, Tadic said that Dodik “saved the lives of Bosniaks [Bosnian Muslims] and Croats during the war”. “I know that and respect that,” said he, and added that “Dodik does not hate people of other ethnicities”. “He has an obligation to protect the legitimate rights of Serbs in Bosnia and his policy must be understood in that context. It should be considered whether his current statements have been forced by the behavior of other politicians in Bosnia-Herzegovina,” said Tadic, and concluded that there was never “only one side to a dispute”.

"Serbia won’t support break-up of Bosnia"

He also underlined that he would also never make a decision that would question the position of Republic of Srpska (RS), as an entity within the Bosnian Federation, and that Serbia will respect the Dayton Agreement.

Addressing the topic of war crimes, Tadić said that they cannot be forgotten, and that the nations, countries and individuals in the region can obtain moral credibility if they show sympathy for victims of other nationalities.

"A flaw of the Balkans is that people are ready to speak only about their own casualties, not others' as well," Tadić said, adding that this should change.

He assessed his visit to Srebrenica on the anniversary of the crime that occurred in the town as one of the hardest days for him, and that he then had a revelation which made him determined to lead a policy for the improvement of relations between nations and countries in the Balkans.

However, he also pointed out that it is not possible for Serbia to always play the role of a country that apologizes, adding that the Serbs suffered casualties as well. "We must get out of this vicious circle, or we will never construct a normal society or become EU members," Tadić underlined.

The president also stressed that he does not know where war crimes indictees Ratko Mladić and Goran Hadžić might be hiding, and described accusations that Serbia was sheltering them as “unfounded”.

Asked about his relationship with RS PM Milorad Dodik, Tadić said that Dodik “saved the lives of Bosniaks [Bosnian Muslims] and Croats during the war”.

“I know that and respect that,” said he, and added that “Dodik does not hate people of other ethnicities”.

“He has an obligation to protect the legitimate rights of Serbs in Bosnia and his policy must be understood in that context. It should be considered whether his current statements have been forced by the behavior of other politicians in Bosnia-Herzegovina,” said Tadić, and concluded that there was never “only one side to a dispute”.