President of Croatia Zoran Milanovic said on Monday he had announced to President of Bosnia's Republika Srpska entity Milorad Dodik that he would come to Derventa for a ceremony of decoration of veterans and that Dodik had no problem with it. He also said that secession of Republika Srpska is "totally unrealistic."

Dodik yesterday criticised Milanovic for coming to Derventa, Bosnia and Herzegovina in March to present medals to the Croat Defence Council's (HVO) 103rd Brigade for their contribution to the defence of the Bosanska Posavina region in northern BiH. Dodik said Milanovic should not come to the Serb-majority entity of Republika Srpska if he intended to do something like that again.

Speaking to the press in Krizevci, Milanovic said he had spoken with Dodik by phone two days before that, informing him of the reason of his arrival in Derventa, and that Dodik did not have a problem with it.

Milanovic said 650 members of the 103rd HVO Brigade were killed defending Bosanska Posavina, and that in Derventa he did not talk about “the 2,500 Croats killed” in northern BiH in 1992, but “honoured the defenders who sacrificed themselves for Croatia.”

Milanovic said he spoke with Dodik recently on the occasion of Orthodox Easter and that Dodik made no mention of his visit to Derventa. “Dodik evidently hasn't managed to take the pressure and resist.”

Milanovic said a problem occurred for Dodik because “I freely walk around Republika Srpska and watch what I say with full respect for the state of BiH, but also for Republika Srpska, while Vucic can't come to Jasenovac (WWII concentration camp).”

“How do you explain that to militant Serbs, among whom I continue not to include Dodik?,” he added.

Jasenovac is not a promenade

Milanovic said he was willing to welcome Vucic in Jasenovac, the site of a WWII concentration camp, but added that one should keep in mind that the Jasenovac Memorial Site is a state-owned public institution and that protocol should be respected.

“You can't roam there. It's not a promenade,” he said, adding that Vucic “has a rich history of roaming around Croatian territory” and that in 1995 he “harangued” in the then-occupied town of Glina.

Asked if he was worried about Dodik's secessionist policy, Milanovic said, “Yes and no.”

He said the secession of the Bosnian Serb entity “is totally unrealistic” and “will never happen.”

According to him, Dodik is using threats whenever he has a problem. “That's irresponsible. It's not fair to give people an illusion and stoke the desire and the hope and expectations that they will get that. In that respect, that's not good… it's worrying.”

“BiH is where it is and it will stay a state. It is what it is,” he added.