President of Republika Srpska Milorad Dodik responded to SDS's accusations regarding the change in the observance of RS Day on January 9th, which the Constitutional Court of Bosnia and Herzegovina declared unconstitutional, and to the announcement of a petition signing. He labeled both SDS and PDP as political losers.

“No one has questioned January 9th as RS Day. Article 29 states that, in addition to all other observances, the founding day of RS, January 9th, will continue to be marked. What is unclear about that? But they want to create some spin,” Dodik said, adding:

“At all the January 9th celebrations in recent years, I have never seen anyone from the opposition, neither from SDS nor PDP. Suddenly, they are defending something. So, nothing from all of that… Honestly, I think when I respond to you and you ask me, we are giving them too much significance. This is such nonsense that it can only belong to political losers and no one else.”

Dodik also addressed the claims made by Chairman of the Presidency of Bosnia and Herzegovina Denis Becirovic about pro-Russian forces in Bosnia and Herzegovina that threaten peace and destabilize the Western Balkans.

“Becirovic is now trying to misuse the fact that he is the chairman, which essentially means nothing because I was also in that position. He is just a person technically responsible for organizing meetings and protocol activities of the Presidency of Bosnia and Herzegovina. When it comes to presenting views, they can only present views that are agreed upon at the Presidency level. That is not Bosnia and Herzegovina. In this way, they are best at undermining Bosnia and Herzegovina. I want to support them in that, whatever they say, whatever they do – they are the best at undermining Bosnia and Herzegovina. That story is more reminiscent of those who lack intellect, brains, and political thinking, like Russia and RS, or rather, Russians are destroying the Dayton Agreement, while they have already significantly undermined it,” he said.

He emphasized that during every meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin, Putin sought support for the Dayton Agreement and the territorial integrity of Bosnia and Herzegovina.

“However, he is now trying to exploit the vanity of disgruntled foreigners, Westerners, who, whenever you mention Russia, get agitated and immediately want to take measures against RS. They have succeeded in part. But the primary fact is that they are the ones undermining Bosnia and Herzegovina the most in this way. They have privatized foreign policy,” he added.

Dodik reiterated that the positions presented on behalf of Bosnia and Herzegovina can only be those agreed upon by all three members of the Presidency.

“If not, then these are just private positions of the Presidency members or the positions of the political groups they belong to,” Dodik concluded.