ŽUPLJANIN: ASSEMBLY HAS ALWAYS BEEN AN INSURMOUNTABLE OBSTACLE TO ALL THOSE WHO ATTACKED SERBS

BANJA LUKA, OCTOBER 24 /SRNA/ - Over its 35 years of existence, the National Assembly of Republika Srpska has faced numerous dilemmas and challenges, but has always remained an insurmountable obstacle to all those who have attacked the Serb people and Republika Srpska, Slobodan Župljanin, president of the Association of Patriots of Republika Srpska, told SRNA.

"The National Assembly remains a lasting guarantor of the protection of the Constitution, legal and economic stability, and the survival of the Serbs and Republika Srpska, working in close and inseparable cooperation with other institutions. Some past mistakes made under unprecedented foreign pressure, influence and blackmail must be eliminated from the National Assembly’s future work," Župljanin stressed.

According to him, the scope and extent of the rights and obligations of the Serb people and Republika Srpska established under the Dayton Agreement can never be called into question; discussions can only focus on expanding those rights and improving their quality.

"Republika Srpska must reform many reforms imposed in the past, particularly in the field of the judiciary, so that it can fully serve to protect the Republic and its people. The established framework for an independent, impartial and efficient judiciary must serve as the basis for future action to ensure more effective legal protection for citizens, as well as for Republika Srpska itself and its institutions," Župljanin stressed.

He said that the Association of Patriots of Republika Srpska supports all proposals put forward in the process of drafting a new Constitution of Republika Srpska, including those advocating for Banja Luka as its capital and Pale as its seat.

"The National Assembly will play an extremely important role in the process of adopting a new Constitution of Republika Srpska, which should remove all the obstacles and impediments that have hindered the development and strengthening of Republika Srpska, in line with the highest standards of democratic achievement," Župljanin stressed.

He said that marking the 35th anniversary of the National Assembly of Republika Srpska was of exceptional importance to Republika Srpska and the Serb people, adding that holding the event in Pale today was an excellent decision, as the town is regarded by the Serb people as the seat of Republika Srpska.

"Pale is where the idea was brought to life and where the building of Serb institutions began, so that is where we should celebrate and commemorate! All Serbs and Serb patriots will be there in spirit today, regardless of where they are physically located," Župljanin said.

He said that the establishment of the Assembly of the Serb People in BiH formally institutionalized the will of the Serb people to build their own indigenous and sovereign identity through democratic institutions, whose primary task was to decide on the creation of Republika Srpska and establish its constitutional and legal system by adopting a Constitution.

"The establishment of the Assembly of the Serb People in BiH on October 24, 1991, laid firm and indestructible foundations for the creation of Republika Srpska on January 9, 1992, in conditions of peace and stability, as well as a solid foundation for achieving peace and securing recognition of Republika Srpska’s legal status under the 1995 Dayton Peace Agreement," Župljanin said.

The National Assembly of Republika Srpska was established in Sarajevo on October 24, 1991, under its original name, the Assembly of the Serb People in BiH.