DODIK: REFERENDUM WILL INCLUDE A QUESTION ON LEGAL AND CONSTITUTIONAL STATUS OF SRPSKA

BELGRADE, AUGUST 14 /SRNA/ – The President of Republika Srpska, Milorad Dodik, said that a referendum will be called which will include a question on the legal and constitutional status of Srpska, and will likely be one of the introductions to referendums that will be held in the coming period.

Dodik stressed that Republika Srpska is forced to defend its status in the only possible way – through the will of the people – and that it will do so “very gradually, calmly.” “We will do it at the moment when we think it is necessary,” Dodik said. He stressed that the political measures imposed by the Court of BiH will neither be accepted nor supported. “We will continue to pursue our policies as agreed – that is, we will call a referendum that will undoubtedly declare we are against any elections, that such elections should be boycotted and rejected,” Dodik underlined. He added that he regretted the opposition did not respond to the call to form a government of national unity. “They have not shown themselves to be worthy. They will probably have their own opinion about this afterwards, but that is their matter, and it shows how little they understand the processes or anything else,” Dodik told ATV. He stated that a session of the National Assembly will be held and a decision will be made to hold the referendum. “The referendum will have a question that will undoubtedly be related to the legal and constitutional status of Srpska, and will likely be one of the introductions to referendums we will hold in the future concerning the status of Republika Srpska,” Dodik said. He stressed that Republika Srpska must not remain in BiH under the solutions imposed by Christian Schmidt, explaining that for a minimum stabilization in BiH, it is necessary to remove them, as well as Schmidt himself. He explained that in this regard, any further escalation of problems within BiH should be prevented, but added that he does not see any willingness for that.