It's a shame that the internet is a virtual medium, because there are a lot of people out there that I'd like to express my deep feelings of friendship to, and having spent the last two years here in Serbia, I'd like to do it in a truly Serbian way.
Serbian President’s Visit Sparks Controversy
Sarajevo | 09 September 2009 | Srecko Latal
Serbian President Tadic rebuffed the criticism on Tuesday, arguing that Serbia was never requested to sever ties with the Serb-dominated Bosnian entity of Republika Srpska, in order to continue its path towards EU membership, and would never accept such a proposition.
Bosniak officials and media complain that Tadic’s Tuesday visit to Bosnia was organised by the Republika Srpska government, instead of the Bosnian Foreign Ministry.
In addition, they complain that Tadic, who flew into Sarajevo airport, then proceeded to bypass the capital and state officials. He proceeded directly to Pale, 18 kilometres east of Sarajevo, where he joined top Republika Srpska officials in opening a new primary school.
The new school, called “Serbia” was built thanks to a two million euros Serbian donation. Tadic and Republika Srpska's premier and president, Milorad Dodik and Rajko Kuzmanovic, were all involved in the opening ceremony, during which Tadic stressed that “Serbia has to take care” of all Serbs worldwide.
Bosniak officials and media complained that this sort of behaviour is reminiscent of the times before, during and immediately after the country's 1992-95 war, when Serbia was politically and militarily engaged in Bosnia. Even after the war, Serbia and Republika Srpska maintained special political, economic and other relations, which were formalised and cemented in a 2006 agreement.
“This sort of behaviour represents a direct blow to the sovereignty [...] of Bosnia and Herzegovina,” the cabinet of the Bosniak member of Bosnia’s tripartite Presidency, Haris Silajdzic, commented in a statement.
Silajdzic alleged that the visit is intended to promote Republika Srpska as an internationally recognised entity. He also protested against naming the school “Serbia”, claiming this violates the constitutional right to equality of all three main ethnic groups in Bosnia.
Kuzmanovic differed, saying that Tadic’s visit and the opening of the school do not put in question the integrity of Bosnia and Herzegovina.
“Republika Srpska is in Bosnia and Herzegovina and we have no intention to dismantle it,” he said.
In rebuffing the Bosniak criticism,Tadic stressed that Serbia would gladly have special relations with the other Bosnian entity, the Bosniak-Croat Federation, and would be delighted to open a school called “Bosnia” in one of the predominately Muslim regions in Serbia.
“Serbia wants to be a friend not only of the Serb people in Bosnia and Herzegovina, but Bosniaks and Croats as well,” Tadic said, adding that, as a signatory of the Dayton Accords, Serbia supports Bosnia’s territorial integrity.
2009-09-09 15:06:34