President of Republic of Srpska Convokes Meeting on Srpska’s Views with Regard to MAP Activation

At the initiative of the Republic of Srpska President Željka Cvijanović, a meeting was held in the Administrative Centre of the Republic of Srpska Government on the activation of the NATO Membership Action Plan (MAP) for BiH and the position of the Republic of Srpska in this regard.

The Republic of Srpska does no support BiH joining any military alliances until the final determination of Serbia, as signatory and guarantor of the Dayton Peace Agreement and the General Framework Agreement for Peace in Bosnia and Herzegovina, about her position regarding integration into military alliances, says one of the 15 conclusions adopted at today’s meeting.

President Cvijanović stressed that the arrangements contained in the Resolution on the Protection of the Constitutional System and the Declaration of Military Neutrality, passed by the Republic of Srpska National Assembly on 18 October last year, represent the only and exclusive framework within which bodies and institutions of Srpska, officials and representatives of the Republic elected or appointed to the institutions of BiH, and Srpska’s representatives in international organisations and fora can act with regard to matters of BiH’s accession to any military alliances.

President Cvijanović expressed her satisfaction that today’s meeting showed unanimity.

According to the President, the reason for the meeting was clear having in mind the decisions related to the activation of MAP passed at the beginning of December and certain new circumstances.

“They desisted from the requirement which was in effect until April 2010, according to which the condition for MAP activation was related to the transfer of title of property from the level of Srpska to BiH. The new decision relinquishes this condition and says it is necessary for BiH to continue on the path of Atlantic integration,” recollected President Cvijanović.

The President of the Republic noted that the Resolution of the National Assembly is binding and decisive for all who want to seriously hold any office in the Republic of Srpska and at the BiH level on behalf of Srpska.

“There is no dilemma about it. Our dilemma appeared in the context of who was acting and in which way, at the level of BiH, in contravention with the Resolution, despite coming from Srpska,” said the President.

The President of the Republic of Srpska noted that the Conclusions define certain matters very clearly and precisely.

“What is now appearing ahead of us as a new obligation is the fact which we have agreed upon, namely that it is necessary to begin the process of introducing amendments to the Republic of Srpska Penal Code, in such a way as to define as criminal offence any non-upholding of positions and decisions of the Republic of Srpska National Assembly on matters related to the constitutional position, status, competences, and vital and strategic interests of the Republic of Srpska by elected or appointed officials from Srpska in the institutions of BiH,” said President Cvijanović.

The President of Srpska also noted that a conclusion was adopted at the meeting, clearly stipulating that Srpska does not support the activation of MAP and that officials who are currently in or will be shortly appointed to the Council of Ministers are required, pursuant to the decision of the National Assembly, not to implement any activities of the Commission in charge of these matters.

“A conclusion was also clearly defined stipulating that the Republic of Srpska and any of her institutions can under no circumstances accept, within the framework of any reform, the transfer of title of property from the Republic of Srpska to any other level of authority, namely BiH,” underlined President Željka Cvijanović.

The President of the Republic also said it was concluded at the meeting that the Law on the Armed Forces of BiH should be amended in such a way as to remove from it all legal provisions stipulating that elected representatives are obligated to work on implementing BiH’s NATO accession.

“I heard that some representatives from Srpska in the Council of Ministers, who were invited to this meeting but failed to show up, sent messages through the media saying they think this is just a formal and very insincere meeting. I strongly deny it, because my intention was for us to seriously approach the new circumstances which indicate that NATO have desisted from the requirement that has been exhausting us for the last nine years and now wish to see MAP activated regardless of the fact that the requirement defined back then on the registration of property has not been met,” said President Cvijanović and noted that three Ministers of the CoM BiH failed to come to the meeting.

The President of the Republic of Srpska considers that it was an inappropriate and politically motivated requirement, even if there were full and absolute support in BiH for the NATO accession process.

“The stance of the Republic of Srpska bodies is that we support the views and positions of Serbia and that we will be compatible with them. But I must also say that this is linked to the fact that Srpska citizens do not want to see any military alliances at the border between Srpska and Serbia,” added President Cvijanović.

The President of the Republic also said it was important to note certain aspects related to claims that, once a country joins NATO, it immediately becomes prosperous as a desirable destination for foreign investment, and acquires mechanisms to resist crises.

“This is simply not true. There are examples showing that some NATO member states were the most affected by the global economic crisis and suffered the worst consequences, while many of them never saw this alleged huge influx of foreign investment. Another significant aspect is the fact that we can simply not bear the costs linked to NATO accession and membership. I believe, as do most of our citizens, that in the case of a conflict here between ethnic communities, or in the case of an attack or intervention from outside, the BiH Armed Forces would simply fall apart,” concluded Srpska’s President.