The tenth Evening of the Republic of Srpska, marking a decade of existence of the Republika Srpska Homeland Community Subotica, started with the anthems of the Republic of Serbia and the Republic of Srpska in Subotica with about 750 guests present.

The President of the Republic of Srpska, Milorad Dodik, said at this ceremony that his policy and that of the President of Serbia, Aleksandar Vučić, were firm and that in his perception Srpska and Serbia were one state inhabited by one people, whatever they thought in the West.

‘It is not easy with the big ones, but what we want matters always. Do not wonder what they think, but what we decide to do,’ said Dodik and emphasized that Serbia could only be strong because of what Vučić was doing, which is having a strong position.

‘Neither we nor you who came here from our regions have ever been Bosnian Serbs, we have always been Serbs. We can never allow to be qualified so. All they are doing is trying to separate us from Serbia,’ said Dodik.

‘Serbia, which is facing its many internal challenges, is present in the Republic of Srpska and I am grateful to Vučić, because in all local communities in Srpska, and they are 63, Serbia has helped and donated significantly or built entire kindergartens, schools or some utility facilities,’ Dodik stated.

He noted that Serbs from the Republic of Srpska were very defensive of Serbia, because they knew it was their only guarantor.

Serbian Minister of Labor, Employment, Veterans and Social Affairs, Nemanja Starović, as an envoy of the Prime Minister of Serbia Miloš Vučević, said that ‘Serbs from Serbia and the Republic of Srpska must be united today more than ever because many are trying to bring the Serbian people to their knees and back to some dark times’.

Starović stated that the Subotica Homeland Community was a bridge connecting Serbs from Srpska with compatriots in Serbia.

‘Due to the commitment of the presidents of the Republic of Srpska and Serbia, Milorad Dodik and Aleksandar Vučić, cooperation between Serbia and Srpska has never been better or more concrete than now, at a high and fraternal level,’ said Starović.

The Mayor of Subotica, Stevan Bakić, said that on this glorious night, we should not forget our brothers and sisters in our southern province, who defended the holy Serbian territory and all its holy places by existing in our Kosovo and Metohija.

The audience was also addressed by the president of the Republika Srpska Homeland Community Subotica, Milorad Ćopić, and the president of the Union of Serbian Associations of the North Bačka District, Miroslav Karan.

The Representative Office of the Republic of Srpska has been traditionally supporting and helping all homeland gatherings in Serbia, including the Republika Srpska Homeland Community Subotica since its foundation until present day. After the ceremony, the Head of the Republic of Srpska Representation in Serbia, Mlađen Cicović, extended congratulations: ‘Not only as a bond with the homeland and as guardians of our customary and cultural and artistic values, but also as Serbian citizens, our homeland associations are significant actors in preserving the Serbian identity: tradition, culture, religion, language and alphabet.’

Source and photo: Republic of Srpska Representative Office in Serbia