CVIJANOVIĆ TO VISIT ISRAEL IN JUNE

BANJA LUKA, MAY 25 /SRNA/ - The Serb member of the BiH Presidency Željka Cvijanović announced that she will participate in a conference in Israel in June, emphasizing that Republika Srpska continues diplomatic activities that are not directed against anyone.

"We are trying to develop the partnerships and friendships we already have," Cvijanović said, adding that she expects continued cooperation with Hungary's new government as well.

Cvijanović stated that the shift in US policy toward BiH is primarily the result of the work and persistence of structures from Republika Srpska that sought to properly explain the situation and recognized that a government had come to power in America aligned with the values promoted by Republika Srpska and its ruling policy.

"Political Sarajevo is struggling to adapt to all of this. They cannot understand that changes of this kind have taken place and that it must finally be shown that you are capable of managing certain processes yourself, rather than relying on a tutor," Cvijanović said, stressing that a foreign overseer cannot be used to settle scores with people living in the same country.

Cvijanović noted that she used her previous and all other visits to the United States to discuss what Republika Srpska considers the realities within BiH and the region and to present Republika Srpska as a partner willing to help the US administration gain a more constructive view of the region after nearly three decades.

"Not only do we recognize that better developments and progress could happen, but they are already happening. There are many examples of this," Cvijanović told RTRS, adding that dialogue with the new US administration had been established last year and that US President Donald Trump had conveyed messages that his country does not want to act as the world's policeman.

According to her, the document the State Department submitted to Congress also reflects this position, showing that America no longer wants to build other countries through various mechanisms, as had previously been done.

"We experienced this firsthand - the sanctions imposed during the administrations of /former US presidents Joseph/ Biden and /Barack/ Obama have been lifted because Trump understood that they had caused greater instability and distrust in the country. A policy shift has occurred, a hand has been extended toward us, they want to maintain the same approach toward everyone and they do not want political confrontations with anyone. We saw this as our opportunity, we used it and we reached agreements with them," Cvijanović stressed.

Cvijanović reminded that the current US administration is transferring responsibility to local governing structures, sending messages that emphasize dialogue, agreement among representatives of the constituent peoples, the activism of domestic institutions and coordination.

"No one there says that all those mechanisms of imposed decisions, which we were forced to live under, should remain in place," Cvijanović noted, adding that the United States is now speaking about restoring sovereignty by allowing domestic forces to manage processes and be accountable for them.

She said that during her talks in the United States there were no accusations directed at Republika Srpska, nor any support for the use of Bonn powers.

Cvijanović said Republika Srpska sees this as a major opportunity for stabilizing the situation and restoring credibility and integrity to democratic institutions and democratic decision-making processes, as well as an opportunity for future developments.

"I am convinced that this is only the beginning of something that could resemble a serious recovery of a patient who was nearly dead or in critical condition," Cvijanović assessed, expressing hope that the will of voters and democratic decision-making processes would be protected.

Cvijanović stressed that the lifting of sanctions is not the only example of the shift in US policy toward BiH, pointing to America's economic engagement through a major gas project in the Federation of BiH, as well as announcements of several infrastructure and energy projects in Republika Srpska.

The Serb member of the BiH Presidency reminded that the United States has withdrawn from around 60 international bodies and organizations, demonstrating how it views the multilateral sector and how it intends to shape future relations.

"We support that sovereigntist approach to cooperation between individual countries," Cvijanović emphasized.

She reminded that Republika Srpska also cooperates with the Russian Federation, certain EU countries, Israel and every country that understands the realities of Republika Srpska's challenges.