Serb entity "has right to defend itself" - Dodik

Serb entity "has right to defend itself" - Dodik

During the extraordinary cabinet session, RS Prime Minister Zeljka Cvijanovic called for peace and tolerance and urged citizens to refrain from spreading panic and misinformation.

She said that the Serb entity in Bosnia-Herzegovina expects full cooperation of all institutions and citizens with the investigating authorities, in order to determine whether this was an isolated or an organized terrorist act.

"We have to consider whether there are organized groups in Bosnia-Herzegovina that provide organizational and political support for such terrorist groups," the prime minister said.

The RS government also supported the decision of RS President Milorad Dodik to hold a meeting with Serb representatives in the joint institutions of Bosnia-Herzegovina.

President of the RS National Assembly Nedeljko Cubrilovic said that this terrorist attack was an attack on the entity's institutions and called for peace and tolerance, saying that last night was difficult "for all three peoples in Bosnia-Herzegovina."

Milorad Dodik voiced his support for the measures of the government, thanked the RS police for quickly establishing control of the situation in Zvornik, "in order to avoid an escalation of residents' discontent."

"The situation in the RS is under control and there are no destabilizing elements," said Dodik.

He announced that the entity will in the coming days assess the ability of its police to confront terrorism, noting that "no one will stop it in doing that."

The president added that intelligence structures on the level of Bosnia-Herzegovina proved to be "incompetent."

Dodik announced that the RS will develop its own intelligence service, stating that a few days ago all institutions were forwarded the information that a terrorist attack could happen in Bosnia-Herzegovina - "but without specifying where."

"Shots were fired at the RS, we have the right to defend ourselves, and we will defend ourselves," he warned.