Celebrating the unconstitutional January 9 as Day of Republika Srpska is no longer only a problem for Bosnia and Herzegovina but also for the European Union and NATO countries, said the SDA party, expressing concern over the lack of a “decisive reaction from our Western partners.”

The fact that the authorities of Republika Srpska entity celebrate the day when the attack on the constitutional and legal order was launched, which was the prelude to aggression, ethnic cleansing, mass crimes and genocide, means a “security threat to Bosnia and Herzegovina,” stressed the predominantly Bosniak political party SDA.

It also warned about the fact that the Russian ‘Night Wolves’ biker gang has been parading alongside the police of Republika Srpska during the ceremony on January 9, while entity president Milorad Dodik “repeated secessionist threats and awarded Russian President Vladimir Putin in presence of ministers of the Government of Serbia and ministers of pro-Serbian Government of Montenegro.”

According to the SDA, all these combined together means a security threat to entire region, the European Union and NATO.

“That is why the absence of a decisive reaction from our Western partners is worrying, bearing in mind the aggression against Ukraine and experiences with Russian influence in the countries of the region. The long-term cowardly retreat before Dodik, his anti-constitutional referendums, honouring of war criminals and naming institutions after them, ignoring the denial of genocide, but also the insults he pelts them with every day, proved to be a bad strategy,” warned the political party.

It stressed that “empty and calculated statements as well as attempts to make Dodik and his mentors from the east willing to make certain concessions,” only encourages more the policy that means a threat to peace and stability.

“Our Western partners should finally see this for the sake of peace and stability in the region, but first of all for their own interests and reputation,” the SDA said.

Unconstitutional holiday of January 9 Day of Republika Srpska was marked in Istocno Sarajevo on Monday, the neighbouring city of the capital Sarajevo, in presence of entity officials as well as officials of Serbia and Montenegro.

Constitutional Court of Bosnia and Herzegovina declared the holiday unconstitutional as it is marked on an Orthodox religious holiday thus discriminates other groups in the entity, but despite the court decision the holiday is marked every year in that part of the country.