Minister Starovic talks about All-Serb Assembly: We want to show unity on both sides of the Drina River

The flag of Serbia; Photo: Shutterstock

Serbian Minister of Labour, Employment, Veteran and Social Affairs Nemanja Starovic said today that the All-Serb Assembly, that will be held tomorrow in Belgrade, will have a social and cultural dimension, but also a significant political component, and that the event aims to show and prove unity of the Serb people on both sides of the Drina River.

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Starovic told RTS that the goal is to show unity of the Serb people, which is turned geared towards a common future and destiny, and added that it is not directed against anyone, nor does it threaten anyone.

"I am sure that it will be a really beautiful, and I dare say, spectacular event. It is a whole series, dozens of different activities that will start today, which will be organized as part of this great and important Assembly, and I think that it will all be to the the joy and pride of the entire Serb nation," said Starovic.

"This Assembly will have its own social and cultural dimension, but, of course, it will also have significant political content, which will be reflected, above all, in the Declaration on the Protection of National and Political Rights and the Common Future of the Serb People," said Starovic.

He added that the declaration will be signed by the president of the Republic of Serbia, the president of the Serb Republic (RS, Serb entity in Bosnia and Herzegovina), which the head of the Serbian Orthodox Church, Patriarch Porfirije, will also endorse, and which will give a strong political impulse to everything that has been done so far and that is planned for the future.

"I must say that this declaration is a very fundamental and very serious document, which is still being harmonized, but what is absolutely certain is that it will have a strong foothold and strong foundation precisely in the Dayton Peace Agreement, the Constitution of Bosnia and Herzegovina, which we we respect unreservedly", said Starovic.

Asked how Serbia will protect the interests of the Serb Republic through the declaration, and vice versa, Starovic said that in any case it will be in full respect of the Dayton Peace Agreement, the Constitution of Bosnia and Herzegovina, "the sovereignty of a neighboring and friendly state, but, of course, the sovereignty and the integrity of the Serb Republic within Bosnia and Herzegovina, therefore, as one of the two entities."

He said that the idea is based in the need to give new impetus and new content to the agreement on special and parallel relations, which was concluded a long time ago between Serbia and the Serb Republic, based on the Dayton Peace Agreement.

According to him, the good cooperation that exists between the state leadership of the Republic of Serbia and the leadership of the Serb Republic should be expanded, deepened and made functional, comprehensive, in order to permeate "the cross-section of our society."

Starovic pointed out that the activities start already today, because Serbian cabinet ministers have invited their colleagues from the RS Government to come to Belgrade, where bilateral meetings,, socializing and getting to know each other will be organized.

"But not everything is limited to cooperation between ministries. On the contrary, we are also talking about meetings between local self-governments, sports federations and associations," said Starovic.

He noted that cultural and artistic associations will be an important component of the events tomorrow.

"We are also talking about managers of cultural institutions, different other institutions, companies, we all have to network and talk together about projects, about ideas, about everything that makes up our common destiny and common future," Starovic stressed.

A joint meeting between the president of the National Assembly of the Republic of Serbia and the president of the National Assembly of the Serb Republic, their deputies, and the president and vice president of the Parliamentary Forum of the Republic of Serbia and the Serb Republic is also scheduled to take place, as part of the All-Serb Assembly.

(Telegraf.rs)