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Dodik Removes Bosnian Flag from Meeting

| 08 July 2008 |

Milorad Dodik

Sarajevo _ Milorad Dodik, the Premier of the Serb-dominated entity of Republika Srpska, has sparked outrage by removing the state flag from the table during an official meeting.

Bosnian media on Tuesday showed footage and photographs from the official meeting which Republika Srpska Premier Milorad Dodik held with local officials in the southeastern town of Trebinje, which he visited on Monday to discuss development plans for that municipality.

Television footage and agency photographs from the start of the meeting showed Dodik removing the flag of Bosnia and Herzegovina from the table and leaving there only the flag of Republika Srpska.

This move especially infuriated media in the other Bosnian entity of the Federation.

Before broadcasting the footage, Federation Television warned its viewers they might find the video upsetting and commented that it should be up to Bosnia’s public prosecutor to determine whether Dodik’s action was against the law.

Ever since assuming power in Republika Srpska in 2005, Dodik and his ruling Party of Independent Social Democrats, have become notorious for their radical rhetoric and threats of possible independence and secession. Dodik has repeatedly stressed that Bosnian Serbs would retain the right for self-determination as long as Bosniak (Muslim) leaders call for the abolition of Republika Srpska.

Dodik has been stepping up his rhetoric in recent weeks, and analysts see this as a part of his pre-election campaign ahead of the October local elections.

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Comments:

radical?
2008-07-08 16:45:25

Why is it radical to say that Serbs could declare independence if muslims call for abolition of Republika Srpska? Dodik always repeats this. And nearly all Serbs (and Croats) thinks like that. Bosnia and Herzegovina will only have a future if the muslims accept that Serbs (as well as Croats) will live in their republics. This is not radical, it would be the structure of the country that most takes care of the wishes of people living in BaH. BaH with three republics will surely be realized as BaH becomes a democratic state in which the people decide how to structure the country and not foreigners like today. A state with republics would be nothing new in European Union.

2008-07-08 17:24:36

The serb people in Bosnia have to accept and have to show that they belong to Bosnia and not to Serbia. They have to show that they care about living in Bosnia as an orthodox bosnian. If they are always thinking about independent well then there will never be a peace.

radical?
2008-07-08 19:20:06

... Nenad, because based on your belief, nazi germany should have been allowed to keep occupied territories, too. By the way, nothing in Bosnian constitution excludes Bosnian Serbs from being a part of Bosnia. It is Bosnian Serbs who are excluding them selves from all integrations including those with NATO and EU. Dodik is an example of this. Remember, you started the war because Bosnians and Croats (and Slovenians) wanted to integrate with EU and NATO. You opposed it in those days. That puts us Bosnians, Croats, and Slovenians to the progressive movement in Europe and you to the side of less progressive one. The recent time shows that you (Serbs) are evolving too which is a good sign and I believe that the time of accusation should be left behind us. We need to learn to live together and love our country because for you as a Bosnian Serb, it really wont matter whether you live in Bosnia or Serbia once WE join the EU. Anyways, regarding the Dodik's action, it is clear that there are many Bosnian Serbs who still are dreaming the dream called "great serbia". Wishing all the best to those Bosnian Serbs that are moved by progressive ideas.

2008-07-08 20:08:09

Patriot why should they show that they like living in Bosnia when they don't? Why should they be forced to get along with bosniaks when most don't like serbs? The Bosniaks got to leave a serb dominated yugoslavia and everyone supported it but now when the serbs are being dominated by the muslims in bosnia it is unfair for them to leave? How hypocritical is that? Would it not be logical to allow them to join with their fellow serbs and end this silly divided nation? by the way the reason that serbs don't call themselves orthodox bosnian's because there is no bosnian orthodox church and you can look that up. Bosnia may be what it says on thier passports but it will never be in their hearts. Bosnian muslims should stop trying to convince them and just let them go and build a country for yourselves as a united and proud nation sure it may be smaller but it's better then being divided.

For patriot
2008-07-08 20:45:03

I agree with you Patriot but unfortunatly in the region someone has created an ethnically state in Kosovo in order to the majority of the population. They have created therefore a false hoping also in the others. It was made a GREAT MISTAKE in kosovo recognition!!!

Bananna Republic
2008-07-09 00:46:44

The Serbs can have their independence and so called "rep.Srpska" if its borders are drawn based on ethinic lines.Srebrenica,Foca and few other citys before the war where Bosnian Muslim majority.Rep.Srpska will never accept this because it will shrink to half of its current size and the Bosnian muslims will not accept Rep. Srpska because its bigger than its suppose to be.

patriots comment
2008-07-09 06:19:15

well then let them become part of serbia! napred!

Ugh!!
2008-07-09 07:23:16

Im SO tired of all this idiotic, immature drama the Serbs are causing in Bosnia. They need to get OVER it!! They live in Bosnia so therefore, they belong in Bosnia. If they don't like, nobody is forcing them to stay!! Just go away already and leave the people of Bosnia (whether they be Bosniak, Croat or Serb) to peacefully live together before the horrible war that Serbia was primarily responsible for!!! Stop acting like little babies! Republika Srpska will NEVERRRR be part of Serbia, the international community won't allow it and neither will the rest of Bosnia, stop trying to force something that just will not be. The way you guys forced everything in the war, well that period is over and you guys are DONE getting what you want!

Defending Dodik
2008-07-09 07:35:59

I was born I Banja Luka. Dodik was born I small village close to Banja Luka. My family as a â€œMuslimâ€ family was forced to live that town. Some of us have returned, but I canâ€™t feel comfortable living there till people like Dodik are in power. Dodik is "succeeding" just because terrorism and problems in Middle East. Bosnian â€œMuslimsâ€ are trying with all forces to show that problems in Middle East shouldnâ€™t be affecting Bosnia. But Dodik has found the way to irritate world policies just by attacking â€œMuslimsâ€. He is hoping to get some points in world by doing that and he is succeeding. In his way he is policy maker in world, and Bosnian â€œMuslimsâ€ too, in our pathetic and very said way.

To Patriot
2008-07-09 08:29:17

So what is your formula....how does an Orthodox Serb become an Orthodox Bosnian....when he has always been a Serb?????...very confused

Dodik from Laktashi
2008-07-09 10:02:02

Dodik really should stop being so divisive and accept that the Inetrnational Community will never allow RS to be independent, first of all because its foundations are based on genocide and ethnic cleansing, whether he likes it or not, and second of all, he is decived if he thinks the Serbs from Serbia are mad about RS. On the contrary, only fools like Koshtunica encourage such division, where as Tadich has a bit more brains to understand that RS will only bring him bad publicity. In fact The Serbs from Serba look upon RS as their retarded brothers.The RS should understand that their future is either with Bosnia or noweher at all. In fact I dont think RS should exist in the form that it does.

RS is created from murder
2008-07-09 10:51:17

RS was created from ethnic cleaning aka genocide. We have 3 presidents the represent 3 people, what else do they want? Bosnia is for everyone fro croats,Bosnians, and serbs. But in RS they wanna make it only serb. 55% of the Bosnian population consider them self Bosniaks. When RS and Federation are aborted then we will be satisfied. If you go to RS and your a Bosnian muslim, you definatly will be attacked or abused by the serbian population and the RS police wont do anything. Serbs still live in the past, if it was upto Bosnia we would have been in the EU long time ago. But Dodik is stoping us, with his idiotic remarks. I dont think he wants war, a war he will lose.

2008-07-09 12:35:47

The problem is that Dodik is just another chicken incapable politician. Providing jobs, improving education, healthcare, infastructure and justice is appereantly too difficult for Dodik. Instead he uses empty retorics..so sad that these kind of politician, that surely also exist among bosnian muslims and catholic bosnians, continue to block the young generations from moving the country ahead..

2008-07-10 11:22:29

Republika Srpska je zakon.

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Dodik Removes Bosnian Flag from Meeting