The President of the Republic of Srpska, Željka Cvijanović, said today that the Republic of Srpska and Serbia were working devotedly on the construction of a Banja Luka-Belgrade highway, Trebinje airport, and starting the construction phase of the large energy project Buk Bijela.

After the session of the Council for Cooperation between the Republic of Srpska and Serbia, Cvijanović noted that she was satisfied with what had been achieved so far through the cooperation between Srpska and Serbia, and expressed gratitude to Serbia for its political understanding, financial and any other support.

- All these projects will imply better communication, better business conditions, better energy security and independence for our citizens. These are the projects that will serve all those they should serve for the purpose of development - said Cvijanović at the press conference in Banja Luka. Cvijanović particularly expressed satisfaction over the initiation of the construction phase of the Buk Bijela energy project, which has been on hold for several decades.

- The time has come for the Republic of Srpska and Serbia to implement it and in that way provide everything that is needed in the energy sphere both for us and our vicinity, but also to reach the potency that will make us important in the energy sector - said Cvijanović.

She thanked for the support provided by Serbia to Federation of BiH municipalities with a majority Serb population, which are often left to themselves, without adequate treatment by the federation authorities.

- The people living there are looking at what both the Republic of Srpska and Serbia are doing, knowing that all that support is an opportunity for their survival in that area. Also, it is important that we have implemented all the projects that we had the opportunity to implement thanks to Serbia in our municipalities throughout Srpska - Cvijanović pointed out.

Cvijanović said that she also informed the guests from Serbia about the conditions in which BiH functions.

- Our priority is a stable, developed and strong Republic of Srpska. Often we neither want nor have the time to lose pace with what is needed for our development - added Cvijanović.

According to her, Srpska will not be captured by some topics, but it cannot be completely immune to all the challenges.

- Today, the Republic of Srpska lives and functions in an environment in which those who should be a partner and with whom we should be considering joint development and construction address us using the ugliest words that emanate hatred, intolerance, inability to communicate, and that burdens also everything we are trying to do in the economic field, as well as in the field of health - added Cvijanović.

Cvijanović emphasized that Srpska needed stability, and that it was achievable by building it further.

- Everything that we have never succeeded with anyone else, we have managed to do with Serbia. There is nothing wrong in our cooperation, only the good we want to bring to our citizens. Serbia is on the path of development and we want that path to be mapped out for our citizens as well - said the President of Srpska.

Cvijanović thanked the institutions of Serbia for the feeling of safety of Srpska’s citizens and institutions because they have such a developed and strong Serbia that is moving forward. In many difficult circumstances, the President of Srpska added, it was the only hope and the only support for solving many problems.

- I am pleased that the Republic of Srpska and Serbia are demonstrating the capacity to improve their cooperation in all areas. We are trying in every possible way to unite certain functions so that we can work well for our citizens and I am satisfied with what we have achieved so far - said Cvijanović.

Cvijanović thanked Serbia for being at the disposal of the Republic of Srpska in all difficult times, including the support during the pandemic.

The session of the Republic of Srpska-Serbia Cooperation Council was attended by the Republic of Srpska President Željka Cvijanović, Serb member and BiH Presidency Chairman Milorad Dodik, National Assembly Speaker Nedeljko Čubrilović, Prime Minister Radovan Višković, Serbian President Aleksandar Vučić, Prime Minister Ana Brnabić and Parliament Speaker Ivica Dačić. The Minister of Finance of the Republic of Srpska, Zora Vidović, the Minister of Energy and Mining, Petar Đokić, as well as ministers of the interior of the Republic of Srpska and Serbia, Dragan Lukač and Aleksandar Vulin, were also present.

Source and photo: SRNA