Niš – a city of rich history, culture and warm-hearted people, always welcomes us in the most beautiful way. We are especially proud that this year’s Days of Srpska in Serbia were closed here.

Closing the event, the Minister of European Integration and International Cooperation of the Republic of Srpska, Zlatan Klokić, noted the importance of strong cooperation between Serbia and Srpska, and the unbreakable ties of our people on both sides of the Drina River.

The Mayor of Niš, Dragoslav Pavlović, organized a reception for the Republic of Srpska delegation as part of the Days of Srpska in Serbia event, and the delegation was led by the Minister of European Integration and International Cooperation Zlatan Klokić.

Klokić said that the event Days of Srpska in Serbia should send a message that the Republic of Srpska and Serbia should be united in these challenging and difficult times and thus face these challenges and build even better mutual relations.

‘We are adorned with a common history, tradition, language, script and everything that makes up a people’s national identity. This event makes a small contribution to reminding us that we should be united wherever we are,’ said Klokić.

He thanked for the support this event received in Serbia, where it has become recognizable and gives an even better image of the Republic of Srpska to the citizens of Serbia, and added that people in Srpska had truly felt the assistance provided by Serbia in recent years.

‘There is almost no city or municipality in the Republic of Srpska where Serbia has not invested,’ said Klokić.

Pavlović expressed his pleasure at hosting friends from the Republic of Srpska, who, according to him, understand how Niš loves Serbia and Srpska, preserves, appreciates and nurtures the tradition of Serbianness and cultural identity in every sense.

‘We are one people, no matter where we are, whether Serbs in Serbia, Srpska, Montenegro, North Macedonia, America, Japan. Serbs are Serbs, one people, one pride,’ he said and thanked the Srpska delegation.

The reception at the City Administration held on the eve of the event’s closing ceremony was also attended by the Serbian Minister of Environmental Protection, Sara Pavkov, and the head of the Republic of Srpska Representative Office in Serbia, Mlađen Cicović.

Cicović said that at the event Days of Srpska in Serbia, the Republic of Srpska presented its economy, culture, science, art and its creators, cultural workers, with the aim of encouraging stronger cooperation between Srpska and Serbia.

‘We are one people, we share the same values. Regardless of any administrative borders, we are a unique ethnic, linguistic, cultural and spiritual space, where there are no border crossings or customs officers,’ Cicović added.

‘Only united will we best respond to all the challenges and temptations facing the Serbian people,’ Cicović said.

– The Days of Srpska in Serbia are a bridge that connects us, generation after generation, so that we never forget who we are and where we come from – said Klokić at the National Theater in Niš at the closing ceremony of the event.

He thanked Serbia for the sincere welcome, and the Representative Office of the Republic of Srpska headed by Mlađen Cicović, who nurture this event and make it richer and more visited year after year.

Klokić said that this event reminded us of the strength and unbreakability of the unity of Serbia and Srpska.

– Over the past few days, we have visited many cities in Serbia, brought the spirit of the Republic of Srpska to them, demonstrated the richness of our tradition, culture and art – and everywhere we have encountered warm hearts and open doors – said Klokić.

He said that the Republic of Srpska and Serbia would live on as long as the youngest inherited the Serbian heritage.

The closing evening of Days of Srpska in Serbia was also addressed by the Serbian Minister of Environmental Protection, Sara Pavkov, who said that the historical deepening of relations between Serbia and Srpska was taking place, which were the result of a clearly directed policy strategically shaped by the two presidents, Aleksandar Vučić and Milorad Dodik.

Pavkov stated that Serbs were one people wherever they lived, that they would look to the future together and that no border could divide them.

Days of Srpska in Serbia officially closed with the opening of the exhibition of artistic photographs Wooden Churches of the Republic of Srpska by Stanko Kostić, and a concert of the Banja Luka Ethno Group Trag.

Source: Ministry of European Integration and International Cooperation – Glas Srpske – Srna - RTRS

Photo: Ministry of European Integration and International Cooperation