RS president, LDP leader spar in TV debate

Republic of Srpska (RS) President Milorad Dodik and LDP party leader Cedomir Jovanovic took part in a televised debate in Belgrade on Wednesday. Their debate came after a controversy caused last week by Jovanovic, when he addressed a party gathering to assert that the Serb entity in Bosnia was "created on genocide". RS president, LDP leader spar in TV debate ”The RS was created in 1992, three years before Srebrenica,” Dodik pointed out today, dismissing the accusation. Dodik added that he "did not come to fight with the LDP leader but to explain it to him that his claims that the RS was created on genocide had insulted the people in the RS". Jovanovic remarked that Tanjug news agency headquarters in downtown Belgrade, from which the program was broadcast, was "secured by police as if the national handball team was playing”. “Who are the police protecting us from,” he asked Dodik. Dodik once again said that the RS was created in 1992 and that Muslim units commanded by Naser Oric committed horrific crimes against Serbs in the area, before the events in Srebrenica in 1995. “I never admitted that genocide was committed in Srebrenica and I never will. I only noted that the Hague Tribunal reached a verdict in the case of General (Radoslav) Krstic, convicting him of genocide in Srebrenica in 1995, therefore I only noted what was written in the court ruling,” he stressed. The RS president also said that he never denied that a crime had been committed in Srebrenica but that he would always deny allegations that the RS was a genocidal creation. Jovanovic responded that his statement that the RS had been created on genocide was a part of his "concern for his own country". “I am taking care of my country that is three months away from the elections. We have the right to formulate and open disputable issues in the campaign so Serbia could finally stop being the source of all problems in the region,” he stressed. The LDP leader recalled the case of Serb Srdjan Aleksic who was killed while trying to save his Bosniak friend during the war in Bosnia-Herzegovina. He pointed out that Aleksic was a Serb that all Serbs and Bosniaks admired, unlike "various Karadzics and Mladics". “I wonder whether Serbia is dealing with the Republic of Srpska only in order to compensate for its failures in Kosovo,” said. He and Dodik then continued to discuss the beginning of the war in Bosnia-Herzegovina, where the first war crime was committed and the way the RS was formed based on the Dayton Accords. Dodik also pointed out that he loved Serbia. “I love Serbia, I love it better than Sarajevo, which maybe isn’t the case with you, Mr. Jovanovic,” he stated. The RS president called on the LDP leader to remember his roots, alluding to the fact that Jovanovic’s mother was from Bosnia. “Please do not remind me where my mother is from,” the LDP leader replied. “There is no mentioning of genocide in the relevant documents. The Dayton Accords qualified the war as an unfortunate conflict. The RS was formed in 1992 when Bosnia-Herzegovina was not internationally recognized. Propaganda during the war said that Serbs were the aggressors and it continues now. The RS cannot be reduced to a single event. 3,500 Serbs were murdered there when Naser Oric entered the UN safe zones. If we say it that way, we need to take all conflicts into account,“ Dodik explained. (Tanjug) No recognition Milorad Dodik also addressed the issue of Kosovo's status, to say that Bosnia-Herzegovina will never recognize the unilateral declaration of independence made four years ago by ethnic Albanians. He also announced he would northern, Serb parts of Kosovo in his capacity as RS president - "in case he receives an invitation to do s". Dodik also said that he supported Serbian government bodies and that Serbia cannot be expected to renounce a part of its territory. When asked whether he would visit northern Kosovo, Dodik said that he would do so as RS president in case he receives such an invitation. Dodik said that if this should occur, he would like to confer "with certain political structures". "Of course I will go to northern Kosovo," Dodik said. "Bosnia will break up" Milorad Dodik also commented on the situation in Bosnia-Herzegovina to say that this country - made up of two entities - would break up into its constituent parts "some day, in the same way as Czechoslovakia" The the RS president added the Serbian government was not sufficiently engaged in implementing the Dayton Agreement, of which it is a signatory. Dodik said Belgrade has good relations with the the RS, but also has a responsibility because it signed the Dayton Agreement. "I think it is not involved enough in implementing the Dayton Agreement. As long as the agreement exists, Serbia has an obligation to defend it," Dodik said, pointing out he considethe RS Belgrade's efforts to date minimal and insufficient. The the RS president told Jovanovic that not even former member of the Bosnia Presidency Haris Silajdzic, who was in favor of abolishing the RS, called it a genocidal formation, as some in Belgrade are doing. "Haris Silajdzic, who called for the abolishment of the RS, was not brave enough to call it a genocidal formation, rather he spoke of crime, and you speak of genocide here in Belgrade," Dodik said. The the RS president also said Turkey, Iran and Saudi Arabia are very influential in Bosnia and their goal is to make a unified Bosnia. "The influence of these countries is divided in Bosnia and it is aimed at making a unified Bosnia, with one president and government," Dodik said. He said this scenario is impossible and that the current state of affairs the RS could be maintained until Bosnia is dissolved. Asked if Bosnia could break up into two countries, Dodik said it is possible and that looking at where things are headed today "it will dissolve one day." "Bosnia has never lived as a state - if it ever was one, that was before the Ottoman Empire, and later it survived within Austria-Hungary, two Yugoslavias...," Dodik said. B92 Tanjug

RS president, LDP leader spar in TV debate

”The RS was created in 1992, three years before Srebrenica,” Dodik pointed out today, dismissing the accusation.

Dodik added that he "did not come to fight with the LDP leader but to explain it to him that his claims that the RS was created on genocide had insulted the people in the RS".

Jovanović remarked that Tanjug news agency headquarters in downtown Belgrade, from which the program was broadcast, was "secured by police as if the national handball team was playing”.

“Who are the police protecting us from,” he asked Dodik.

Dodik once again said that the RS was created in 1992 and that Muslim units commanded by Naser Orić committed horrific crimes against Serbs in the area, before the events in Srebrenica in 1995.

“I never admitted that genocide was committed in Srebrenica and I never will. I only noted that the Hague Tribunal reached a verdict in the case of General (Radoslav) Krstić, convicting him of genocide in Srebrenica in 1995, therefore I only noted what was written in the court ruling,” he stressed.

The RS president also said that he never denied that a crime had been committed in Srebrenica but that he would always deny allegations that the RS was a genocidal creation.

Jovanović responded that his statement that the RS had been created on genocide was a part of his "concern for his own country".

“I am taking care of my country that is three months away from the elections. We have the right to formulate and open disputable issues in the campaign so Serbia could finally stop being the source of all problems in the region,” he stressed.

The LDP leader recalled the case of Serb Srđan Aleksić who was killed while trying to save his Bosniak friend during the war in Bosnia-Herzegovina. He pointed out that Aleksić was a Serb that all Serbs and Bosniaks admired, unlike "various Karadžićs and Mladićs".

“I wonder whether Serbia is dealing with the Republic of Srpska only in order to compensate for its failures in Kosovo,” said.

He and Dodik then continued to discuss the beginning of the war in Bosnia-Herzegovina, where the first war crime was committed and the way the RS was formed based on the Dayton Accords.

Dodik also pointed out that he loved Serbia.

“I love Serbia, I love it better than Sarajevo, which maybe isn’t the case with you, Mr. Jovanović,” he stated.

The RS president called on the LDP leader to remember his roots, alluding to the fact that Jovanović’s mother was from Bosnia.

“Please do not remind me where my mother is from,” the LDP leader replied.

“There is no mentioning of genocide in the relevant documents. The Dayton Accords qualified the war as an unfortunate conflict. The RS was formed in 1992 when Bosnia-Herzegovina was not internationally recognized. Propaganda during the war said that Serbs were the aggressors and it continues now. The RS cannot be reduced to a single event. 3,500 Serbs were murdered there when Naser Orić entered the UN safe zones. If we say it that way, we need to take all conflicts into account,“ Dodik explained.

No recognition

Milorad Dodik also addressed the issue of Kosovo's status, to say that Bosnia-Herzegovina will never recognize the unilateral declaration of independence made four years ago by ethnic Albanians.

He also announced he would northern, Serb parts of Kosovo in his capacity as RS president - "in case he receives an invitation to do s".

Dodik also said that he supported Serbian government bodies and that Serbia cannot be expected to renounce a part of its territory.

When asked whether he would visit northern Kosovo, Dodik said that he would do so as RS president in case he receives such an invitation.

Dodik said that if this should occur, he would like to confer "with certain political structures".

"Of course I will go to northern Kosovo," Dodik said.

"Bosnia will break up"

Milorad Dodik also commented on the situation in Bosnia-Herzegovina to say that this country - made up of two entities - would break up into its constituent parts "some day, in the same way as Czechoslovakia"

The the RS president added the Serbian government was not sufficiently engaged in implementing the Dayton Agreement, of which it is a signatory.

Dodik said Belgrade has good relations with the the RS, but also has a responsibility because it signed the Dayton Agreement.

"I think it is not involved enough in implementing the Dayton Agreement. As long as the agreement exists, Serbia has an obligation to defend it," Dodik said, pointing out he considethe RS Belgrade's efforts to date minimal and insufficient.

The the RS president told Jovanovic that not even former member of the Bosnia Presidency Haris Silajdžić, who was in favor of abolishing the RS, called it a genocidal formation, as some in Belgrade are doing.

"Haris Silajdžić, who called for the abolishment of the RS, was not brave enough to call it a genocidal formation, rather he spoke of crime, and you speak of genocide here in Belgrade," Dodik said.

The the RS president also said Turkey, Iran and Saudi Arabia are very influential in Bosnia and their goal is to make a unified Bosnia.

"The influence of these countries is divided in Bosnia and it is aimed at making a unified Bosnia, with one president and government," Dodik said.

He said this scenario is impossible and that the current state of affairs the RS could be maintained until Bosnia is dissolved.

Asked if Bosnia could break up into two countries, Dodik said it is possible and that looking at where things are headed today "it will dissolve one day."

"Bosnia has never lived as a state - if it ever was one, that was before the Ottoman Empire, and later it survived within Austria-Hungary, two Yugoslavias...," Dodik said.