Dodik: You can arrest or kill me, but RS will not renounce the Dayton Agreement

"Should the constitutional agreement be interpreted as it is written? That is the essence of the crisis in BiH. We in Republika Srpska are originalists of Dayton. We advocate for the original wording of the Dayton Agreement and we are proud of that," Dodik declared.

According to him, the Dayton Agreement functioned until it was, as he puts it, "hijacked," and until international actors began treating BiH as a "blank canvas for their political projects."

"We are not seeking solutions through threats and anger, but through truth. It is time to return to agreement, to basics, and to Dayton," said Dodik.

Dodik claims that although the Dayton Agreement is not an ideal document, it represents a realistic and achievable framework that acknowledges the specificities of the peoples in BiH.

"BiH is composed of the territories of the entities: 49 percent RS, 51 percent Federation. The Agreement did not envision a centralized state, but rather a balance. It gave us a function, not a fantasy," Dodik emphasized, calling on everyone to read the Constitution of BiH "as it was adopted in Dayton."

Dodik stated that Republika Srpska only believes in the signed text, not in "good intentions and dreams." He stressed that amendments to Dayton did not come from the signatories of the agreement, but from international actors who, as he claims, were not even involved in its creation.

"We are not extremists, we are not undermining Dayton. We are trying to preserve it. We are not just signatories of the agreement – we are a party to that agreement. We are defending peace, the right of the people to be their own on their own land," he said.

The RS entity president said that RS is ready for modernization of the Dayton Agreement, but solely through institutional mechanisms and with the consent of all signatories.

"Not through interpretations by foreigners and not under pressure. Modernization must come through amendments, agreement, and the consent of all parties," Dodik said.

He was particularly harsh toward Christian Schmidt, whom RS does not recognize as the High Representative. He once again directed a series of insults at him.

At the end of his address, Dodik sent a clear message that RS will not give up its principles, even under threat of sanctions.

"You can sanction me, ban me, even try to arrest or kill me – but no RS leader will renounce the right to our land. If you find one who does, it means we have failed," Dodik stated.