The Serb member of Bosnia’s Presidency said at a ceremony in neighbouring Serbia that he objects to being called Bosnian, saying he is a Serb only.

“I came here to say that nobody should call me a Bosnian Serb,” Milorad Dodik said at a ceremony in Novi Sad on Sunday, marking 100 years since Vojvodina joined Serbia.

“That’s not what I am. I am a Serb and I belong to the Serbian people,” he declared.

“I speak Serbian, I use Serbian script and that’s how I feel. I believe I am not offending anyone by this,” he said.

He urged Serbia to respect the Serbs in Bosnia more and said he does not like to be called Bosnian or be asked about Bosnia at all.

“I wish Serbia and Republika Srpska would cooperate more. Serbia is on the right path and is returning to its original values,” adding that this day proves it.

Serbia is advancing economically and in every other way, he said.

“That’s our pride. We love Serbia and we love the freedom that has created us,” he said referring to the Serb entity in Bosnia.

Dodik has for years been advocating the secession of the Serb-dominated part of Bosnia and its annexation to Serbia.