Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic said Thursday in Banja Luka that Serbia has made efforts to extend a hand to “those who have never wanted it,” and that he has nothing against Bosniaks, but that he will “not allow their politicians to humiliate Serbia.”
Speaking at the celebration of Serbia’s Statehood Day in Banja Luka – marked jointly for the first time by Serbia and Republika Srpska – Vucic said that Serbia would not respond to threats with threats but with calmness and reasoning, seeking for itself “the same rights that they have already granted themselves.”
He sent a message: “Tell Republika Srpska that I love it,” adding that he has never been ashamed to say so, but has never spoken against anyone else.
“All these years, we have tried to extend a hand to those who have never wanted it. Everything that is allowed to them has never been allowed to us. Everything they have been forgiven, we have never been forgiven,” said Vucic.
He noted that there is constant talk of someone from Serbia threatening the territorial integrity of Bosnia and Herzegovina, but he pointed out that there has never been a statement where a Serbian official did not speak about honoring the Dayton Agreement and maintaining the integrity of Bosnia and Herzegovina, and Republika Srpska within it.
“But when it came to Serbia’s integrity, that didn’t concern them. No matter how much we begged, tried to explain how bad it is to meet and officially receive those who illegally attempted to separate part of Serbia’s territory, they weren’t interested,” Vucic said.
He added that Serbia is not asking for more than what it gives to others, but will “not allow anything to happen to its people.”
“We want peace and stability, and we will protect them. When have we interfered in your political affairs in Sarajevo? Never. And what do you do every day? Every day you change the government in Belgrade, every day you make decisions on who is good and who isn’t? And who cares who you think is good? You are not the ones who will decide that, our people will decide,” said the Serbian president.
He also expressed concern for the situation in Republika Srpska, knowing that “a judicial persecution” of RS President Milorad Dodik is underway.
Vucic said that the past 100 days have been a difficult and burdensome time for many in power in Serbia, noting that “they couldn’t believe how much money came from abroad to destabilize the government in Serbia.” He thanked Dodik, not only because they have always seen eye to eye, but because he has “shown a human face” and, whenever Serbia faced difficulties, he never turned his back or stabbed it in the back.
“These are things we will never forget,” he added.
Vucic expressed hope that Serbia and Republika Srpska would continue to grow closer, without causing trouble for anyone in Sarajevo, Zagreb, or elsewhere, while maintaining the international legal order.
“But, at the same time, always preserving, caring for, and protecting our Serbian name and our Serbian surname,” he said.
A ceremonial academy was held in Banja Luka on Thursday evening, marking, for the first time, the joint celebration of Sretenje (Candlemas), Serbia’s Statehood Day, by Serbia and Republika Srpska. The join celebration was established by a Declaration adopted at last year’s All-Serb Assembly in Belgrade. Senior officials of Serbia and Republika Srpska decided at the All-Serb Assembly on June 8, 2024, in Belgrade, that they would celebrate Sretenje as “Serbia’s Statehood Day and Republika Srpska’s Statehood Day.”
The celebration in Banja Luka on Thursday was attended by the highest officials of Serbia and Republika Srpska, deputies, ministers, and representatives of the diplomatic corps.
