We agreed to do everything in our power to preserve peace: Vucic spoke with Dodik

Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic met today with Serb member of the Presidency of Bosnia and Herzegovina (BiH) Milorad Dodik. The meeting started at noon, and afterwards Vucic and Dodik addressed the public.

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The Dayton Peace Accord is of historic importance because it was the only possible solution in which everyone was losing and winning a little and only such an agreement could preserve peace in Bosnia and Herzegovina, Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic said today after his talks with Serb member of the BiH Presidency Milorad Dodik.

Vucic conveyed that during his conversation with Dodik he stressed that Serbia would accept any decision about the Dayton Accord agreed on by all three peoples in BiH.

He said that for Serbia the stance of our people in the Serb Republic (Republika Srpska, RS) is especially important and that Serbia will follow the stance of the Serb people in RS and BiH.

Photo: Tanjug/Dragan Kujundzic

"None of the three peoples in BiH can impose a decision to change the Dayton agreement, nor can anyone from the outside influence the Dayton agreement without the consent of all three peoples living in BiH," Vucic concluded.

The president of Serbia stated that he also spoke with Dodik about the completion of the construction of the Bratunac-Ljubovija bridge and said the bridge would mean a lot for the eastern part of BiH and the RS and for the western, poorer part of Serbia.

"Serbia and BiH have good conditions for further improvement of trade and we can do much together, while infrastructure projects are essential and no one can prevent and stop this deep cooperation anymore," said Vucic.

The Serbian president said that the position of Serbs in the region was also discussed today, and that he and Dodik supported the efforts of the Serbian Orthodox Church (SPC) towards the preservation of Serb shrines in Montenegro.

Address by Milorad Dodik

Our goal, said Dodik - considering that we are one nation - is to do everything to make sure our issues are solved in an identical manner.

Photo: Tanjug/Dragan Kujundzic

"It is evident that the SPC has been attacked in a number of destinations, both in North Macedonia and now in Montenegro. I think the position we have taken is absolutely sustainable, which is to keep the assets of the SPC. We will not hesitate to protect these assets in the domain permitted by international regulations," Dodik said.

Dodik said that many dare to keep saying something about the Dayton agreement - while for the RS, the agreement's guarantor is Serbia.

He added that any talks on changing the terms of this peace accord would mean "a death sentence to BiH."

"We have no intention, and the RS has enough capacity, of changing it. The RS has a say here, and without the RS, nothing can be changed," Dodik said.

Milorad Dodik said he wants to confirm good cooperation adding that BiH has some problems when it comes to defining the border (with Serbia).

Photo: Tanjug/Dragan Kujundzic

"We will work to resolve this issue as soon as possible. We resolved the final question regarding the construction of infrastructure for the bridge in Bratunac and we expect it to be opened over the next year and a half. We also spoke about Drvar and I want to thank the president for support regarding Drvar and regarding the people in the RS as a whole," Dodik said.

Address by Aleksandar Vucic

Vucic said that he has regular consultations with Dodik and that the common conclusion is that there is essential need of the Serb people to preserve peace and political stability.

"Our agreement is to do everything in our power to preserve that peace," said Vucic.

After his meeting with Dodik, Vucic said that they discussed cooperation between Serbia and the RS and implementation of joint plans.

Photo: Tanjug/Dragan Kujundzic

He recalled that ratification of a credit arrangement with Turkey to build the Belgrade-Sarajevo highway would follow soon.

"And we are starting physical works on the Kuzmin-Raca section, and since Serbia is building the bridge to the RS and BiH, we are ready to see how we can help our partners from the RS and BiH build the road to Bijeljina," said Vucic.

He announced that he would be Dodik's guest on January 29 in order to open a plant of the Vranje-based Yumco factory in Drvar.

"What we promised, we have fulfilled, and on that day I will visit Mrkonjic Grad as well to see what else we can do, especially when it comes to schools. Mrkonjic Grad is a few kilometers from Jajce, a strategically important place for the RS," said Vucic.

 

 

 

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Upravo je počeo sastanak predsednika Vučića i srpskog člana Predsedništva BiH Milorada Dodika.A post shared by Aleksandar Vučić (@buducnostsrbijeav) on Jan 17, 2020 at 3:17am PST

(Telegraf.rs)