Wreaths laid at the Serbian military memorial cemetery Mali Zejtinlik
The President of the Republic of Srpska Milorad Dodik and the delegation of the Government of Serbia, including Nikola Selaković, Danica Grujičić and Ivica Dačić, today laid wreaths at the Serbian military memorial cemetery Mali Zejtinlik in Sokolac on the occasion of the Day of the Republic of Srpska.
After the service of commemoration and the laying of wreaths on the Central Cross, the President of the Republic of Srpska pointed out that the Serbs will not give up celebrating January 9th – the Day of the Republic, and that no court decision can change that fact.
The President Dodik stated that 949 soldiers of this region, who died fighting for the Republic of Srpska, were buried there.
“Serbs from Sarajevo and Romania are the biggest victims of the last war, and that is why we gather here every year on the Day of the Republic and pay respect and honor to the people who defended and created the Republic of Srpska. That is why it is important to be in Sokolac with inspiration, desire and gratitude for the strengthening and building of Srpska”, said the President of Srpska.
The President of the Republic said that when the representatives of the institutions of Srpska and Serbia come to Sokolac, they should remember all these families, and that he is grateful to the Municipality of Sokolac and the relevant ministry who plan and host this event on this day.
The President Dodik said that, despite the opposition from the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina and certain international circles, as well as the decision of the Constitutional Court of Bosnia and Herzegovina, the day of establishment on January 9th, 1992 is unquestionable because on that day the Republic of Srpska was founded, which is internationally recognised as one of the entities that make up BiH.
“No court decision can change that fact. It is easier for that shameful Constitutional Court to change that decision. ” The Serbs will not give up celebrating January 9th – the Day of the Republic, which was decided on in Pale, and ordinary people and their representatives determine which dates and national holiday they celebrate”, emphasized the President of Srpska.
The President of the Republic pointed out that the gathering around January 9th, after that decision of the Constitutional Court, was much larger than it had been before, because the Serbs will not accept and allow their history to be created in an administrative way.
“History happened and no one can change the dates that happened. On the 9th of January, the decision on the formation of the Republic was made, and on the 28th of February, the Constitution of the Republic was adopted, and there were no conflicts then. After that, several sessions of the BiH Assembly took place. It was a peaceful period in which the Republic of Srpska was created”, said the President Dodik.
The President of the Republic of Srpska stated that some people are not bothered by the date January 9th, but the year when it happened, before the armed conflicts.
The President of the Republic reminded that the armed conflicts in Bosnia and Herzegovina arose after the referendum held by Muslims and Croats to secede from Yugoslavia.
“Now everything is clear. We, the Serbs, believe that January 9th is untouchable, and in Sarajevo they want to impose it on the Serb people at any cost. However, that is impossible”, said the President of Srpska.
The President Dodik added that January 9th remains the Day of the Republic, when representatives of the Republic of Srpska, Serbia and many members of various organisations will always come to the “Mali Zejtinlik” and pay their respect to the fallen soldiers.
The President of the Republic emphasized that this Serbian cemetery should be a place that young generations will discover so that they know that it was young people who died defending their freedom.
