A welcoming ceremony for Speaker of Russia’s Federation Council of the Federal Assembly Valentina Matviyenko in Banja Luka on Tuesday was held without state symbols of Bosnia and Herzegovina.

President of the Republika Srpska (RS) Milorad Dodik welcomed the Russian envoy in front of the RS Palace, where only the flags of Russia and the RS were displayed.

Russia’s official said during the visit that her country opposed the militarization of European countries and new separation lines. “That aggravates the security in Europe,” she added.

She assessed that Europe’s security is not possible without Russia, but that Russia’s security is not possible without Europe either.

Russia was, it is now and will be a friend of the RS, Matviyenko underlined.

RS President Dodik thanked Russia and its President Vladimir Putin for “objective, sincere and balanced standpoint regarding the applying of the Dayton agreement, and preservation of the peace and stability”.

He reiterated the RS’ stance on military neutrality, emphasizing that the RS’ parliament adopted a document, which obliged this entity to take a neutral stance regarding Bosnia’s accession to the NATO.

Police of the RS, Bosnia's semi-autonomous entity mostly populated by Serbs, increased security measures in the RS capital prior to the Matviyenko's visit.