ŽUPLJANIN: ONLY UNITED SERBS CAN BE PROACTIVE ACTORS IN NEW REALITY

BANJA LUKA, FEBRUARY 11 /SRNA/ - Only a united Serbian people can survive radical geopolitical changes and, instead of being an object in international relations, become a proactive actor in the new geopolitical reality, Slobodan Župljanin, president of the Organization of Senior Officers of the Republika Srpska Army, told SRNA.

Župljanin stressed that the upcoming celebration of /Sretenje/ Candlemass should reflect a full understanding of the current state of the Serbian world, the dangers it faces, and the opportunities that offer a better perspective.

He stated that by marking Sretenje/Candlemass as the Statehood Day of Republika Srpska and the Statehood Day of Serbia, firm unity and the unwavering will of the Serbian people to preserve their statehood are being expressed.

"Jointly marking Sretenje/Candlemass is one of the most significant events for the Serbian people on both sides of the Drina River, as well as for the Serbian world as a whole," Župljanin said.

He emphasized that this is the strongest guarantee of sovereignty and freedom, something that never existed when the Serbian people did not have their own state.

Župljanin pointed out that history teaches this lesson, as whenever the Serbs did not have a state, they suffered pogroms and persecution.

"To prevent this from happening in a challenging future, the Serbian people must unite in the struggle and aspiration for statehood and freedom. The ideal of freedom can be achieved by preserving sovereignty and statehood," Župljanin emphasized.

The joint observance of Sretenje/Candlemass as the Statehood Day of Republika Srpska and the Statehood Day of Serbia was established by the Declaration on the Protection of National and Political Rights and the Common Future of the Serbian People, adopted at the All-Serbian Assembly in Belgrade on June 8, 2024.