CVIJANOVIĆ: SRPSKA SUCCEEDED IN GAINING EQUAL STATUS

TESLIĆ, JULY 5 /SRNA/ – The Serb BiH Presidency member Željka Cvijanović said that the presence of U.S. President Donald Trump's spiritual adviser Mark Burns at the commemoration in Bratunac shows that Republika Srpska has succeeded in attaining equal status and has emerged from a blockade in which only one side's version of the truth was heard.

Cvijanović said it was important that, even at such solemn events, there are people who understand that those who lost their lives did so while defending their homes, their houses, seeking to preserve their freedom.

She said there should be respect for all peoples, respect for the victims of all peoples, and respect for the customs, identities, traditions and everything else important to every nation.

Cvijanović stressed Republika Srpska was grateful to the new U.S. administration, which, within just a few months, had sent two senior officials closely associated with President Donald Trump to attend commemorative events and finally stand alongside the Serb people.

"They are not doing this to the detriment of anyone else. We respect and appreciate that," Cvijanović said, recalling that Yehuda Kaplun, the U.S. president's special envoy for combating antisemitism, had also attended the commemoration marking the Day of Remembrance for the victims of the genocide against Serbs, Jews and Roma in the Independent State of Croatia /NDH/ at Gradina.

Cvijanović expressed hope that others would follow that example.

"Although it is evident that some others, who should also have been present at those events, were absent. But step by step," Cvijanović said.