THEY COULD NOT CONVICT IDEA OF SRPSKA IN A STAGED PROCESS

BELGRADE, NOVEMBER 3 /SRNA/ – President Milorad Dodik has stressed that the idea of Republika Srpska could not be convicted in a staged process, and that it is up to Sarajevo and Europe to understand that a unitary BiH does not exist and never will.

"They did not break Srpska – they strengthened it. They did not defeat the idea – they reinforced it. They did not weaken me – they gave me new strength. They threw mud at the Republic, and from that mud grew the flourishing will of the people to love, build, and endure," Dodik said.

The President pointed out that the lifting of sanctions against individuals and companies from Republika Srpska, the statement by the US State Department that it views Srpska as a partner of stability, as well as Moscow’s support and China’s understanding, all show that Republika Srpska is no longer a target, but a factor.

President Milorad Dodik's column for Politika is published in full:

When I look back today, it is clear – from the very first day, it was not about law, but about politics. Politics with only one goal: to eliminate me politically, and then to destroy Republika Srpska without resistance. But politics is my terrain. That was not my weakness – it was my advantage.

I knew that those coming from outside would try to use the institutions they themselves had created and subordinated, but I did not allow them to catch me off guard.

While they were imagining my political legacy, I was laying the foundations of my political future. While they were celebrating my "end," I was writing a new chapter of Republika Srpska's political strength.

They wasted their last wish in vain.

Michael Murphy, an ambassador who looked more like a governor than a diplomat, accelerated all processes before his departure. He knew that the end of the Biden administration was approaching and counted on being able, while the world's attention was on Ukraine, to finish with Republika Srpska in the fog of that war.

Schmidt, the "Troika," and their executors in the court and prosecutor's office moved into a state of panic. They did everything to bring me down before the global context changed.

That is why I personally had to fight for every right, even the most basic one – human dignity. After a difficult surgical operation, I had to prove to doctors from Sarajevo that I had undergone surgery and was not in a condition to attend hearings.

That alone speaks to their obsession – they did not want a verdict, they wanted humiliation.

In that struggle, my greatest ally was the people of Republika Srpska. Every smile, every word of support, every handshake was proof that we understood one another and shared the same thing – love for Republika Srpska.

I am proud that not for a single moment was there any tension towards our Bosniak neighbors. That proves that Republika Srpska is not against anyone – it is a safeguard ensuring that BiH is not against the Serbs. The people knew I was defending the Republic, not myself. And that is why we endured together.

A huge part in that struggle belongs to my team. I know I often appear to carry the burden of politics alone, but the truth is that hundreds of people stand beside me every day, protecting the institutions of Republika Srpska.

Željka Cvijanović has become the pillar of our diplomacy – calm, dignified, always decisive. Ana Trišić-Babić – quiet, precise, and sharp as a blade, capable of taking the right step at the right time. Then there are all the ministers, prime ministers, deputies, councillors, mayors, associates, and staff members who endured pressure not because they did anything wrong, but because they serve Srpska.

I especially emphasize our coalition partners – we have not always thought alike, but we knew when we had to think together. While the opposition paraded through Sarajevo and foreign embassies, offering "cooperation" to outsiders, we proved that there are people who will not sell Republika Srpska for power or promises.

I was ahead of my persecutors because I realized they were fools who thought a single staged process could put an idea on trial. The idea of Republika Srpska is older, deeper, and stronger than any of their plans. It was born of sacrifice, in the Defensive–Patriotic War, and it cannot be nullified by a verdict. If you understand that idea – you will talk. If you do not – you will lose.

We endured because, in decisive moments, we were united. The opposition refused to join in forming a government of national unity, but I felt that the people were united. They knew that it was not me who was being defended – it was Republika Srpska.

We preserved Srpska because we nurtured friendships. In Budapest and Moscow, we have sincere friends. Russia remains one of the key powers in the world and our reliable partner in defending Dayton and sovereignty. Hungary, under Viktor Orbán, has withstood all pressure and shown what politics of common sense looks like.

And Serbia – it is more than a friend; it is our motherland. The Drina River is not a border, but the backbone of the Serbian people. Serbia has always stood by us – both in difficult times and when everyone else was silent. At every step, in every place, on every occasion, Serbia pointed out the injustice being done to Republika Srpska. Wherever our voice could not be heard, Serbia spoke for us.

On the day of the first-instance verdict, President Aleksandar Vučić and His Holiness Patriarch Porfirije came to Banja Luka. Both personally and politically, that meant a great deal to me. Throughout this time, I have been in constant contact and meetings with President Vučić. He is a man of immense experience and exceptional work ethic. He has been part of every success we have achieved – both in what could be seen publicly and, more importantly, in what took place away from the cameras.

The administration of President Trump brought a change. In Doha, Munich, Budapest – everywhere they sent the same message: America is returning to common sense. Trump’s policy is that of the real America, of a people tired of elite projects, global corruption, and false values. That is why we could easily understand each other. Because neither he nor we served the powerful – we served the people.

They did not break Srpska – they strengthened it. They did not defeat the idea – they reinforced it. They did not weaken me – they gave me new strength. They threw mud at the Republic, and from that mud grew the flourishing will of the people to love, build, and endure.

They have lost everything. Their problem is that they have no values – only masters. And their masters have lost their own people.

Our resistance can be seen everywhere today. The lifting of sanctions against individuals and companies from Republika Srpska, the statement by the State Department that it views us as a partner of stability, the support of Moscow and the understanding of China – all of this says one thing: Republika Srpska is no longer a target. It is a factor.

The UN Security Council has confirmed what we have long known – that solutions for BiH do not come from outside, but from the agreement of its elected representatives.

Force could not break us, nor injustice sway us.

It is up to Sarajevo and Europe to understand – their unitary BiH does not exist and never will. Our people have endured and shown their strength. To break us – they lack the power. To crush us – they lack the means. All that remains is to make a choice – and make it wisely.

For Republika Srpska is free. Not by force. Not by revenge. But through faith, unity, and reason. And those are foundations that do not fall.