DEĐANSKI: I'M CERTAIN DODIK WILL NOT BACK DOWN

BELGRADE, AUGUST 1 /SRNA/ - President of the Belgrade-based Center for the Development of International Cooperation, Stevica Deđanski, told SRNA he is confident that Republika Srpska President Milorad Dodik will not back down from defending Srpska, despite the confirmation of the first-instance verdict by the Court of BiH. He added that what Christian Schmidt says will certainly not matter in the new global balance of power.

Deđanski said the verdict against Dodik for failing to comply with Schmidt's decisions is just a continuation of the pressure being exerted.

"I am convinced and I know that Dodik will not give up on defending Republika Srpska," Deđanski emphasized.

He added that Schmidt's statements are irrelevant now, and will be even more so in the future redistribution of global influence.

"Pressure on the Serb people will continue on all fronts-aimed at abolishing Srpska and forcing a renunciation of Kosovo and Metohija. But we must keep fighting, and we will win," Deđanski said.

The Appellate Chamber of the Court of BiH upheld the guilty verdict against Dodik for defying the decisions of Christian Schmidt, who claims to be the High Representative.

Dodik was sentenced to one year in prison and a six-year ban from political activity for refusing to implement Schmidt's decisions.