DODIK: THE NATIONAL INTEREST OF STATE IS SACRED

MOSCOW, MAY 9 /SRNA/ - Republika Srpska President Milorad Dodik has said today in Moscow that the basic state national interest is sacred and that anyone who undermines it is against the state.

"If you want to be involved in politics, be it the government or the opposition, then you must have an understanding of what the basic state national interest is," Dodik told SRNA, RTRS and ATV after a meeting in Moscow with Patriarch Kirill of Moscow and All Russia.

Dodik added that he also discussed the views of the Church with the patriarch, and that it was established that the views of the Church and the political leadership of Russia are identical on all outstanding issues.

The president of Srpska said that the political establishment of Russia and the Russian church nurture something that is very important, which is the developed pluralism of political relations, different views and that all this is important unless the foundations of the state and nation are destroyed.

"We talked about common issues, we are also interested in knowing how the spiritual life takes place here. The connection is the construction of the Serb-Russian church in Banja Luka and I invited the patriarch to visit us once the church is finished and he promised so. I informed him about how far we have come and told him that our Bishop Jefrem of Banja Luka is taking care of it," said Dodik.

Dodik mentioned that there is a promise given by the Minister of Foreign Affairs of Russia, Sergey Lavrov, that Russia will help with the interior decoration of the church.

"This is a magnificent project," emphasized Dodik.

Dodik said that after the meeting with Patriarch Kirill, he also visited the Serbian Orthodox Church in Moscow.