President of Republika Srpska, Milorad Dodik, has once again made it clear where RS stands – firmly on the foundations of the Dayton Peace Agreement. In an interview with Russian news agency TASS, Dodik stated plainly: “Republika Srpska asks for nothing that doesn’t belong to it, but will not give up what is guaranteed by the Constitution and the Dayton Agreement.”
According to Dodik, Bosnia and Herzegovina can only function through genuine dialogue between the legitimately elected representatives of its three constituent peoples – and without foreign interference or imposed solutions. “If living together as agreed in Dayton is no longer possible, then peaceful coexistence side by side is the only realistic alternative.”
He emphasized that RS remains committed to peace, dialogue, and international law – but also firmly dedicated to protecting its constitutional rights, competencies, and dignity. For Dodik, RS is not merely an administrative entity – it’s a constitutional category established through historic, political, and democratic will.
He criticized what he described as systematic efforts by parts of the Bosniak political elite – with backing from sections of the international community – to dismantle the Dayton structure and push Bosnia toward centralization. “Those attempts deny the constitutional position of RS,” he stated.
Dodik dismissed the recent Franco-German “non-paper” as a political pamphlet disconnected from the reality of Bosnia and Herzegovina. “It’s another attempt to strip Republika Srpska of its powers – and we will not accept it.”
He also criticized the role of Western powers: “It is alarming that countries who present themselves as guardians of peace are drafting such documents without consulting the legitimate representatives of the people. Thirty years after Dayton, they still haven’t learned the basics of Bosnia.”
Dodik reaffirmed that the Dayton Peace Agreement is a legally binding international treaty that can only be changed by mutual agreement of all signatories – not by diplomatic pressure or informal papers. “Our political will is not negotiable. Nor are we anyone’s colony.”
While some in Brussels still imagine a different Bosnia, in Banja Luka they continue to insist on the one that was signed, sealed, and internationally recognized in Dayton.
wpDiscuz
