CVIJANOVIĆ: CLAIMS THAT AUTHORITIES IN SRPSKA ARE BUILDING CLOSER TIES WITH CROATIA THAN WITH SERBIA ARE BASELESS FABRICATIONS AND NONSENSE

ISTOČNO SARAJEVO, DECEMBER 16 /SRNA/ – Serb member of the Presidency of BiH Željka Cvijanović told SRNA that claims by certain media outlets that the authorities in Republika Srpska are allegedly building closer relations with Croatia than with Serbia are nothing but baseless fabrications and utter nonsense.

Asked to comment on these media reports, as well as claims that the SNSD-led authorities are "tolerating the construction of a nuclear waste disposal site at Trgovska Gora," Cvijanović told SRNA that it is obvious there is a machinery attempting to manufacture this topic, but that there is also common sense, which provides a logical answer to such insinuations. "No matter what anyone says, Serbia is both the most important and the most natural pillar of support for Republika Srpska. Does this really need to be explained to anyone? It is precisely those who, in every possible way, criticized or obstructed this cooperation that have now begun to claim that Republika Srpska, under the leadership of the SNSD, is supposedly turning toward Croatia. That is nonsense," vice president of SNSD Cvijanović said. Regarding Croatia, Cvijanović added that there is an interest in implementing infrastructure projects such as the border crossing in Gradiška, because this is in the interest of citizens and the economy of Republika Srpska. "When it comes to Trgovska Gora, our interest is to protect our citizens. Both of these issues are primarily within the remit of the institutions of BiH, which have demonstrated chronic incapacity to address any life-related issues, especially when they concern the territory of Republika Srpska, although they have proven unable to do much even in FBiH," Cvijanović emphasized. She recalled that political Sarajevo had also blocked several important projects with Serbia, again because they are important for Republika Srpska. "Finally, I must say that it is multidimensional nonsense, enthusiastically promoted by certain so-called experts, to claim that `Milorad Dodik entered negotiations with the Americans over the lifting of sanctions without consulting Belgrade`. The thesis itself is foolishly constructed, and so is the entire elaboration that these `do-gooders` have built around it," Cvijanović stressed.