Serbia means a support and stronghold, it recognised a need to take care of Republika Srpska (RS) while not jeopardising anyone in Bosnia and Herzegovina, newly appointed President of Bosnia's RS entity, Zeljka Cvijanovic, said on Tuesday following a meeting with the President of Serbia, Aleksandar Vucic.

“Of course, I said at the meeting that Serbia means a support and stronghold for Republika Srpska, and that we watch everything that is happening here because many things link us together. It is important that Serbia did recognise a need to take care of Republika Srpska while not jeopardising anyone within Bosnia and Herzegovina, taking into consideration what Bosnia and Herzegovina is,” said RS President.

Cvijanovic served in the previous term as the Prime Minister of RS, Bosnia's Serb-dominated entity. She represents nationalist Alliance of Independent Social Democrats (SNSD), whose leader, Milorad Dodik, on several occasions raised a topic of the entity's secession from Bosnia and its merging with Serbia during this century.

The visit to Belgrade and meeting with Serbia's President was Cvijanovic's first official trip after she took the office last month.

Republika Srpska can expect even stronger support of Serbia, Vucic confirmed after the meeting.

“I don't have to point out everything that links us with Republika Srpska. We belong to the same people, but I think we have to look towards future, how to speed up development and build up economic, cultural and all other relations, from infrastructural connectivity to a larger number of investments,” he said.

He emphasised that Serbia would respect Bosnia's integrity and integrity of RS within Bosnia, and any decision that three major ethnic groups in Bosnia pass in a consensus.

“We will know how to be a strong support to Republika Srpska, just like you wished,” Serbian President told Cvijanovic.