KARAN: SRPSKA HAS POSITIONED ITSELF BOTH POLITICALLY AND ECONOMICALLY

There must be only one party at the BiH level, and that party is Republika Srpska, which today demonstrates political and economic strength, with a clear geopolitical direction and position.

Interviewed by: Nenad STUPAR

BANJA LUKA, APRIL 2 /SRNA/ – Republika Srpska President Siniša Karan told SRNA that he sees Republika Srpska as strong and independent, which obliges everyone to work on its strengthening and development.

Karan emphasized that, despite all the attacks, pressures, and sanctions, the Republika Srpska institutions have remained strong and stable, which positively reflects on its economic situation and geopolitical position.

"Republika Srpska has a stable constitutional order, territorial integrity, and everything required for carrying out state functions and obligations toward our citizens. This is a pledge to those who built their lives into the foundations of Republika Srpska," President Karan said in a SRNA interview, stressing that Republika Srpska emerged as an aspiration for freedom based on the difficult historical memory of the Second World War.

He noted that Republika Srpska has positioned itself politically and economically and has its place on the geopolitical map.

"In political terms, Republika Srpska is characterized by the stability of its institutions. This is not just a phrase, but a fact, because in recent years our institutions have been intensely exposed to various attacks. Today they are defended by the legitimacy of the people's will. We have a stable parliamentary majority, a Government, and the president of Republika Srpska as part of the executive branch," Karan said.

He stressed that these attacks on institutions also affected the destabilization of the economy, but that Republika Srpska managed to remain self-sustainable.

"We have not had a single day of delay in budget payments. I would mention that in this regard we reacted in a timely manner and responded to all challenges, from floods and the coronavirus pandemic to various attempts at economic destabilization.

This year alone we have three billion BAM in investments. We have an average net salary of around BAM 1,600 and the number of employed persons is close to 300,000. We are the least indebted among all countries in the region," Karan stated.


WE HAVE OPENED MANY DOORS WORLD-WIDE; GEOPOLITICAL SITUATION MUCH MORE FAVOURABLE FOR SRPSKA

He pointed out that the geopolitical position of Republika Srpska has improved thanks to the activities of President Milorad Dodik, the Serb BiH Presidency member Željka Cvijanović, and Ana Trišić-Babić.

Karan emphasized that thanks to this diplomatic activity, Republika Srpska has finally been recognised as a party to discuss with, rather than one to discuss about, adding that many issues have been opened so most now understand our position, which has also reduced pressure on Republika Srpska.

The president of Republika Srpska said that over the past three decades the Serb people has been subjected to a negative narrative, so only the determination of the people and the political leadership preserved its institutions, stressing that geopolitical circumstances now make it easier to explain the position of Republika Srpska within BiH.

"We reduced the pressure thanks to the activities of President Dodik, Željka Cvijanović, and Ana Trišić-Babić. We opened doors where it was previously unimaginable. Two years ago the entire political leadership was under sanctions and our president was exposed to persecution by a wandering foreigner," President Karan recalled.

He pointed out that Republika Srpska today has many friends who are key in decision-making globally, emphasizing that Republika Srpska is an active interlocutor, not an observer.

"Republika Srpska is at the table, not on the table. We talk with both East and West and we are relieved of pressures," Karan stressed.

He noted that not everyone in BiH has understood the new situation as a period of stabilization, but rather as a transitional phase after which they would again act against Republika Srpska and the Serb people, pointing out that this is a mistaken view and that anyone who is in favour of the future of BiH must sit down and talk.

Karan said that the republican authorities, headed by SNSD and President Milorad Dodik, have throughout pursued a responsible and state-building policy, which has bothered many and resulted in the imposition of early presidential elections in order to break that continuity.

"All those who committed injustice by imposing elections wanted to deliver the final blow to Republika Srpska. However, they did not succeed precisely thanks to President Dodik and the policy of continuity, which we will continue to pursue and contribute to strengthening it," Karan stressed.


SRPSKA GOVERNMENT DOING GOOD JOB; THIS YEAR SRPSKA WILL BE MAJOR CONSTRUCTION SITE

Asked whether he is satisfied with the work of the Republika Srpska Government headed by Prime Minister Savo Minić, Karan says the Government is doing a very good job and responding adequately to all challenges, noting that institutional strength is extremely important, thanks to which it was possible to make changes and appoint the Government in the National Assembly within a very short period of time.

"In this way we pre-empted moves that would have led to destabilization. We knew why and for what reason we were doing it. By electing the Government we eliminated those intentions and today we have a Government that is doing its job very well, responding to daily challenges and being active in the field. Prime Minister Minić has demonstrated a type of activism that has brought new strength and energy," Karan stressed.

He assessed that the Government also responded adequately to the energy crisis caused by global developments.

"Republika Srpska found good solutions regarding excise duties. We are now also dealing with natural disasters and problems in certain companies. At the same time we have the strength and stability to enter large investment projects," Karan stressed.

He said that this year Republika Srpska will become a large construction site, noting that the continuation of the construction of the Banja Luka–Bijeljina–Belgrade motorway is priority.

"There is no local community that will lack major investments, and I believe that in addition to these three billion BAM investments, we will find another one by the end of the year," Karan said.

Regarding constant criticism that investments are not distributed evenly throughout Republika Srpska, the president said that claims that investments are not made equally in all parts of Republika Srpska, especially the east, are malicious, noting that significant funds are currently being allocated for road infrastructure and energy facilities.

"Those who claim otherwise are making political statements, which is not good. For Republika Srpska every place, village, and street has the same importance," Karan said, emphasizing that he does not like mentioning any divisions within Republika Srpska and the Serb people, including the one between east and west, because Republika Srpska is sacred and every part of it is soaked with the blood of Serb soldiers.


BOSNIAK ELITE WANTS TO TURN BiH INTO BOSNIAK STATE

Asked whether BiH has a future, Karan said that for three decades two completely opposing processes have been taking place in BiH - one reflecting the affirmation and preservation of the Dayton Peace Agreement supported by Republika Srpska, and the other involving the unitarization of BiH advocated by Sarajevo.

"The original Dayton is Republika Srpska with its strong institutions, which preserves the national and existential being of the Serb people in this region," Karan said and recalled that the Serb people disappeared wherever they were left without their constitutional and constituent being.

"It is the outvoting some in BiH is trying to do this through. The Bosniak political elite wants to turn BiH into a Bosniak state, which is one man - one vote theory, i.e. the concept of a civic state which is an impossible in such a state union composed of two equal entities and three constituent peoples," Karan stressed.

According to him, BiH has a chance to survive only as a result of an agreement among the three peoples. He emphasized that Republika Srpska will never give legitimacy to decisions contrary to the Constitution and the Dayton Accords.

"Regardless of the fact that some institutions at the BiH level insist on certain unconstitutional competences imposed by High Representatives and confirmed by the unfortunate Constitutional Court which had a chance to preserve BiH, we will never give them legitimacy; for us they are temporary institutions. That is why I repeat that dialogue is the only framework in which coexistence of the three peoples in such a complex state union is possible," Karan stressed.

Because of all mentioned-above, Karan says, these are red lines that require pan-Serb unity.

"There must be only one political party at the level of BiH, and that party is Republika Srpska. The people elected us to protect the institutions and Republika Srpska, not to destroy and destabilize them," Karan stressed.

The president of Republika Srpska say that BiH has been living an unconstitutional and anti-Dayton life for three decades, sending a false narrative of some artificial "unity".


CONSTITUTIONAL COURT – GRAVEDIGGER OF BiH

Speaking about the Constitution of BiH, Karan said it was a product of social circumstances and can only be changed by consensus of the three constituent peoples, not in the way imagined by those who want to place the Serb people in a subordinate position and legalize what is unconstitutional.

"Even the current Dayton-based Constitution was not a product of wishes, but part of an international agreement, though it reflected social circumstances. The Muslim people are trying to create something opposed by two peoples and in which the Serb and Croat peoples would become national minorities," Karan said.

He warned that in such a case only the Bosniak people would decide, which is precisely why Republika Srpska was created on January 9, 1992, because the Serb people were outvoted.

"BiH is not a Bosniak state; all peoples have equal status in it, and for it to survive there are three solutions – one is to respect the existing Dayton Peace Agreement, the second option is the return of Republika Srpska based on the principle of self-determination, as all other republics of the former SFRY were created. The next option, if possible, is to amend the Constitution through agreement of the three peoples by recognizing mutual needs," Karan stressed.

Regarding the establishment of new institutions at the BiH level, President Karan emphasized that they can only be established with the consent of Republika Srpska and the Federation of BiH, but that this principle has also been undermined through the actions of the unconstitutional Constitutional Court of BiH, whose aim is to strengthen institutions and agencies at the BiH level.

He assessed that the greatest sin of the Constitutional Court of BiH is that it failed to issue a decision stating that the High Representative is not a legislator in BiH.

"The Constitutional Court then, and especially now through Christian Schmidt and the uncivilized act against the President of Republika Srpska Milorad Dodik, presented acts and so-called laws as acts of domestic law. Few can understand that," Karan said.

He stressed that the Constitutional Court of BiH has grown into the greatest destroyer and gravedigger of BiH.

"Nowadays there are no Serb judges in the Constitutional Court of BiH, but that does not concern them. That shows how much they want to rule and that does not interest them. The Constitutional Court of BiH today is destroying BiH. They think they are destroying Republika Srpska, but in fact they are destroying BiH," Karan concluded.