SPECIAL AMERICAN REPRESENTATIVE FOR WESTERN BALKANS ESCOBAR: DODIK HAS NO INTENTION TO BRING RS CLOSER TO EUROPE

SARAJEVO, SEPTEMBER 22 (ONASA) – The US envoy for the Western Balkans, Gabriel Escobar, said in an interview for RSE that the formation of the Community of Municipalities with a Serbian majority should not create problems within Kosovo.
– So within that, I still think that there is a huge capacity to allow the Serbs to manage their municipal services in a way that best suits their citizens, without becoming the Republika Srpska. We have dealt with this question several times. And I am disappointed that the question is still raised – that it would be Republika Srpska. It won’t be. It’s really about municipal authorities doing what municipalities are already doing in the Serbian language, says Escobar.
Speaking about the fact that the RS Assembly is moving towards the adoption of a “law on foreign agents”, similar to the one already applied in Russia, Escobar says that he would not say that it is similar to the one applied in Russia.
– It is identical to the one used in Russia. So, for us, it is an anti-democratic act, a dangerous act. And we see it as a desperate move by the government, which is trying to silence independent journalists from pointing out all the shortcomings. So, by telling journalists that they cannot publish the truth, they cannot hide the truth. I think that this law cannot help Bosnia and Herzegovina, and especially Republika Srpska, to get closer to Europe. But I think that’s the plan. I think that the president of Republika Srpska Milorad Dodik actually has no intention of helping Republika Srpska get closer to Europe, says Escobar.
Escobar also answered the question about Christian Schmidt, i.e. Doodik’s statements that he will be deported if he tries to enter the Republika Srpska.
– First of all, he (Dodik) does not have these powers. Let me also say that the role of the High Representative in Bosnia and Herzegovina is outlined in the Dayton Peace Agreement. So he is an important part of Dayton. Its legitimacy is drawn from Dayton. And he has our full support, he also has the full support of the European Union. Not only that, it has the full support of the Peace Implementation Council (PIC), Escobar said. (end)