The President of the Republic of Srpska, Želјka Cvijanović, was awarded the Order of Serbia on the ribbon today on the occasion of Sretenje – the Day of the Statehood of Serbia.

The Order was presented to the President of Srpska in Belgrade by the President of Serbia, Aleksandar Vučić, at the ceremony of awarding Sretenje decorations.

The President thanked Vučić for this high decoration, saying that she would wear the Order with great pride starting today.

– For a politician, representative of the citizens and institutions of the Republic of Srpska, there is no greater honor or recognition than the one showed by the fraternal Serbia – President Cvijanović pointed out.

She added that responsibility was amplified by the magnificent occasion – the Day of the Statehood of Serbia, which, according to her, gathered the most glorious libertarian traditions, as well as modern, constitutional legacy of the Serbian people.

– You have shown me a great honor, and the pride I feel belongs not only to me, but equally to all citizens of the Republic of Srpska, because also for them this high decoration is a confirmation of our unbreakable ties as well as of cooperation that is both more concrete and meaningful today than ever in the past – stated the President of the Republic of Srpska.

She pointed out that she was proud to have had the opportunity to participate in the creation and implementation of many joint projects, formerly as the Prime Minister and today as the President of the Republic of Srpska.

The President emphasized that today there was almost no area in which that cooperation had not been realized, and no municipality in the Republic of Srpska in which Serbia was not present through some newly built facility.

– And I would say that there is nothing more logical and nothing more natural than our desire for the strongest possible cooperation with Serbia. And, of course, we do not want to justify ourselves to anyone for that, because we have never built our relations, nor shall we ever build them to anyone’s detriment, but only to the pride and for the benefit of our people and all citizens of Serbia and Republic of Srpska – said Cvijanović.

She said that she was happy that the plans of Serbia and Srpska for the future were ambitious, because there were many upcoming joint projects, both in the field of transport infrastructure and energy.

The President of the Republic of Srpska pointed out her belief that the future of the region belonged to those committed to cooperation, removal of barriers, economic development and infrastructural connections, rather than to those who obstructed and blocked development projects.

– I wish Serbia and its citizens a stable development and a successful future, in which they will continue to hold a leading position in the region, but I also wish it a future in which the preservation of the Republic of Srpska will remain one of the most important national priorities – said Cvijanović.

She noted that there were many examples of the love nurtured by the citizens of the Republic of Srpska for Serbia, both from the past and the present.

– But maybe today’s holiday – the Day of the Statehood of Serbia, is an occasion to remember some of the messages that manifested that love in a particular way. One was uttered by Dragoljub Kesić, a patriot sentenced to death by the Austro-Hungarian authorities during the high treason trial in Banja Luka. His last words were ‘let Serbia know that I love her’ – reminded the President of Srpska and added that after more than a century, these same words still resonated in all parts of the Republic of Srpska, and that nothing had changed in that regard.

The President of Srpska said that the second message was from Vid Parežanin, a priest from Trebinje who had been killed on the same occasion and at the same time as Dragoljub.

– On his deathbed, he loudly shouted ‘Long live Serbia’ – President Cvijanović reminded.

At the end of her address, she thanked for the decoration and congratulated the President and citizens of Serbia on the Statehood Day, wishing Serbia to progress more and more every day and take big steps into the future.

– You have shown me a great honor by awarding this high decoration. It will be a source of pride both for me personally and for all citizens of the Republic of Srpska, because I know that their love for Serbia is immeasurable – said the President of the Republic of Srpska.

Every year, the awarding of decorations on the occasion of Sretenje is the most solemn part of the program of marking the Statehood Day, where Serbia rewards the deserving individuals and institutions.

This order is awarded to the heads of states and governments for special merits done for the Serbian state and people. In previous years, the order was awarded, among others, to Czech President Miloš Zeman, Bulgarian Prime Minister Boyko Borisov, former Austrian Chancellor Sebastian Kurz, Prince Albert of Monaco, and many other officials.

Today, Serbia celebrates the Statehood Day, commemorating two important events in its history that took place on Sretenje, 15 February – the beginning of the First Serbian Uprising in 1804 and the proclamation of the Sretenje Constitution in 1835.

Source and photo: RTRS